Central Equatoria state gov’t to reduce high taxes on imported goods

JUBA – The State government of Central Equatoria State of South Sudan said it will reduce high tariffs on imported essential food commodities in a bid to reduce sky rocking of goods in the market.

South Sudan depends significantly on essential commodities imported from neighboring Kenya, Sudan and Uganda.

His Worship, Kalisto Lado Faustino, Mayor of Juba City Council, advised traders to avoid increasing prices of goods, whether imported or domestically produced as the government is working to reduce taxes on food commodities.

“Generally, taxes on food commodities need to be reduced. This is another thing that can help in reduction of prices of commodities in the market,” Lado told Sudans Post in an interview this morning.

Faustino revealed that the Juba City Council will work together with the South Sudan Business Union and Business Union to reduce the prices of the commodities in the market.

“We will sit with the South Sudan Chamber of Commerce, Business Community to sort out some of the difficulties that have led to skyrocketing prices,” Lado said.

He revealed that the government will ensure that the taxes on food commodities are reduced to alleviate suffering of the people of South Sudan.

“The people of South Sudan are our people and we should have to cooperate, both the government and traders to see into it that we reduce the suffering of our people because they are sources of power and they are owners of this country,” he appealed to traders.

He stressed the need for national government to set up rules and regulations to regulate the conduct of business in the market

“This is cheating, this is not clean business. In case there are those kinds of traders who are trying to double prices of the goods in order to get more profit is unlawful. There are rules and regulations that the government can set up to govern traders in the market,” he said.