Small scale retailers who were hawking commodities in Aniet market are feeling the blow of the recent ban on their business by Chamber of Commerce in Rumamer County, Abyei Administrative Area.
The retailers-mainly children juggling the little to make both ends meet said they cannot meet the needs for their families due to shrinking daily income.
“I do see the decision is not good. I will not be able to get money for tea and sugar. I want the chamber of commerce to allow us continue with our work,” one of the hawkers said adding that he was getting 800 or 900 SSP before the ban.
Apart from economic downturn, what is the other impact related to the decision?
According to Kuei Lino, a woman who sells vegetables in Aniet market, the decision will make some of these children idle and may resort to theft as means of survival. She appealed to authorities to survey a place for them to be selling their goods.
They asked the business leader to reverse his decision. The Chairman of Chamber of commerce, Bagat Kur Bagat insisted warning against the violation of the ban. However, he advised hawkers to rent some shops.
“We have directed them to look for permanent shops. We don’t have any problem…… just organization of the market. Anybody who will not obey the order will face the law,” Bagat said.
What is the position of Agok Administrative Unit?
Deng Ali Bathbuny, the Executive Director of Agok Administrative Unit, said he was unaware of the issue. But he acknowledged hawkers as part of the larger business community.
Why was hawking banned?
Last week, the chamber of Commerce Chairman, Bagat Kur Bagat, banned hawking in Aniet market claiming that hawkers were selling stolen goods-an allegation hawkers dismissed as a false.