By Chol D. Johnson
Traders count losses after fire consumed the larger part of the Custom market.
The popular market known for serving a huge population of Juba with varieties of goods was burnt to ashes on Monday.
Although the investigation is still underway to find the total losses incurred during the fire outbreak, it is estimated that at least 3000 fully stocked shops were razed.
The market, which was a source of life to many South Sudanese and other nationals, came to an end in just a day.
This was not only frustrating but also painful, as many traders returned to zero after all their wealth was consumed by the fire.
Both traders and the members of the public have begged the government as well as the well-wishers to respond with possible assistance to those whose shops were burnt down.
The recent series of tours to the scene was commendable, while action to all those affected remains vital.
In addition to the tour by several government officials, President Salva Kiir issued a letter of solidarity and vowed to support traders affected.
Eyes on government
On Thursday, a team from the South Sudan National Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture, as well as the Central Equatoria State Chamber of Commerce, visited the custom market to interact with those affected.
The visit was vital, as it gave hope to the traders who have been looking for immediate support to bring their business back to life.
As a link between the traders and the government, the delegation was able to interact with those affected with hope to present their demands to the higher authority.
Addressing journalists in the custom market during the interaction with the traders affected,
Lado Lukak Lege, the Chairperson of the South Sudan National Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture, called for quick government intervention.
Lukak, who is also a member of parliament representing the business community, described the incident as a disaster that needs help without delay.
He appealed to the national government and well-wishers to speed up their plans to support those affected.
The chairperson expressed that his office remains committed to ensuring that the data for those affected is collected.
He vowed to ensure that his team move to seek necessary support for those affected by the fire outbreak.
As one of the majors to prevent further fire outbreaks, Lukak called on the Juba City Council to prioritize rearranging the shops in the markets.
Kur Nyok Deng, the Secretary General of the South Sudan Chamber of Commerce, reiterated his call on the national government to provide start-up capital for those affected.
He expressed that most of those affected are women who have been hustling to bring food to their tables as well as paying fees for their kids.
Nyok called for quick intervention, adding that the Custom market was among those markets generating huge taxes for the government.
“If these shops are not operating, where will the government get the money or taxes?” he said.
He appealed to the government to give a tax holiday of one year to the traders affected in the Custom market in order to recover from the losses.
“Government should give traders in the Custom market 1 year without a tax session; we do not want any city council or tax department to come to the Custom market,” Nyok appealed.
Robert Pitia Francis, the chairperson of the Central Equatoria State Chamber of Commerce, called on the government to quickly intervene.
Pitia also called on nongovernmental organizations as well as well-wishers to rescue the traders who are stranded after losing all their wealth in a day.
Mary Keji, a women’s representative in the custom market, appealed to the government to provide startup capital to those affected during the fire outbreak.
She expressed that the recent incident has made many traders hopeless, as their progress was brought to zero in a single day.
Keji added that the custom market is among the hustling zones where young women and other entrepreneurs get their daily meal.
She added that there is a need for immediate intervention, citing that the disaster has left a huge number of young women heartbroken.