SOUTH SUDANESE GOVERNMENT STOPS FISH EXPORT TO UGANDA OVER EXTORTION AND CORRUPTION AGAINST THE FISH TRADERS.
Arua City 12th June, 2024 .
By Golooba Richard
The South Sudanese government has with immediate effect suspended the exportation of fish to Uganda, this was disclosed by sources within the government, after a long time of engagement with it's citizens who have been trading in this business. This comes after the numerous frustrations the south sudanese businessmen have encountered, which include extortion at the border entry of elegu, at weigh bridges, by the fisheries department and by local authorities in Arua Market. In a live interview on ITV held on Wednesday 12th June 2024, where one of the panelists was Mr Kuany David, a member of South Sudanese Fish Suppliers Association based in Arua Cirty, the authorities have recalled their people back home until the government of Uganda streamlines and reprimands the ellant officers and leaders, and they with immediate effect suspended the fish export to Uganda.
The comes after continous frustration of the South Sudanese Fish Suppliers by both fisheries officers at Elegu Border, Pakwach check point and a section of local poltiical leaders, others working underhand to extort monies from them, which has badly affected the revenue contributions for both the central government and locally. These people who started the business in 2018, have massively contributed to the social economic transformation agenda of the NRM government ,through provision of employment to many young people and women, but the contionus frustration by the fisheries department both in the ministry, fisheries protection unit and local officials, has greatly affected them as traders, their workers and transporters, communities and as well as their customers.
"We feel frustrated by the approach of many people, we pay Uganda Revenue Authority very well, but all the time others start to play hide and seek, which has hit the business badly, our people have lost valuable properties, lives and others. We have been subjected to applications for licences to import fish from South Sudan, but everytime goal posts, abrupt increament of local taxes, and holding our trucks without clear justification. For instance we pay 1.8 million per truck as local government tax, 80.000/= parking fee, another 80.000/= to Arua District Fisheries office for inspection per truck and 10.000/= per bundle of tilapia fish all without any form of reciept, and now Arua Central Division has increased to 50.000/= per bundle of fish, but remember we pay taxes to Uganda Revenue Authority" noted Thon Mathew
They have imported into Uganda many bundles of dry salted fish, where each bundle costs thirty five thousand (35.000 UGX) for offloading from trucks coming from South Sudan, where by a truck carries 60 bundles which amounts to two million and one hundred thousand shillings (2.100.000 UGX) and equally loading afresh on new trucks destined to DR Congo costs fifty thousand shillings (50.000 UGX) per bundle all this has been earnings of the people not mentioning the transporters ( trucks, taxis and Boda Boda). The women retailers make a profit of fifty thousand shillings (50.000 UGX) per bundle, that has helped them offset various obligations including school dues and family welfare.
"This development coming from South Sudan to stop export of fish to Uganda, is bad news for government nationally and locally, but also my women and youth who have been working and earning a living,through the sale of fish, loading and transportation, I have on several occasions raised the issue on the floor of parliament, held numerous meetings with stakeholders on how best we can harmonize. For us NRM it will impact greatly on our mobilization efforts, as it's very hard to mobilize people without work to support government in an election, His Excellency President needs to get invloved personally, engage with his counterpart in South Sudan, to sort this challenge once and for all. Am happy that Uganda Revenue Authority through the Commissioner General has been very helpful and has contionously reduced the tax to now 0.01% on the fish from South Sudan, to enable our people survive and participate fully in the social economic transformation of our communities, but the frustrations by fisheries department has been too much" said Hon Atima, MP Arua Central Division
The statement stooping the export of fish from South Sudan to Uganda was communicated by the ministry of trade, over what they termed as bad working relations, as a result of fish. " If fish from South Sudan has become a problem for our people taking it to Uganda, let us stop it. We have been patient enough, but whatever has been coming from there is bad news, we have three of our sons who were badly injured after they were attacked in Arua City by brokers, and nothing was done to reprimand the criminals, and government of South Sudan is treating them here".
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