Economic Reform Committee visits Lado Payam’s Mabil Checkpoint, Juba County to enforce orders prohibiting illegal collections of fees from traders

The sub-committee of Ministerial High-Level Economic Reform, led by the Minister of Interior, Hon. Gen. Aleu Ayieny Aleu, visited Mabil Checkpoint in Lado Payam of Juba County to familiarize with the implementation of the directives banning restoration of illegal checkpoints and collection of fees from local traders and regional commercial truck drivers moving on the Juba-Bahr el Ghazal Highway.The subcommittee, soon after arriving in the area, toured offices belonging to various units operating at the Mabil Checkpoint simply to get first-hand information about their duties. After inspection of offices, the subcommittee held a meeting with the members of security agencies by briefing them about its task and expectations. The committee directed that the number of forces should be reduced after receiving the parade of about 212 members of the different organized forces including Military, Police, Wildlife and National Security Services at the Mabil checkpoint, and insisted that illegal collections of fees from local traders and commercial trucks transporting goods is prohibited, calling on them to comply with the directives. Interior Minister, Gen. Aleu Ayieny Aleu, also called on organized forces deployed in the area, not only Mabil but across Lado Payam of Juba County to cooperate with local government authorities and warned against involving themselves in land grabbing after community leaders raised concerns over issues connected with illegal land issuance to individuals. In statement to the media, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon. Dr. Margret Labanya Mathya, said the subcommittee’s visit aims at ensuring that truck carrying goods are allowed to move freely to reach their destinations without interruptions on the Highway. She said this is part of the committee’s efforts to address citizens’ livelihoods by improving economy. Over-staffing at the Mabil checkpoint has raised serious concerns where the subcommittee questioned the criteria for which this huge number of security forces is deployed in that area. In light of that, the sub-committee led by General Aleu Ayieny Aleu, resolved to reduce to the number of military, Wildlife, Police and National Security Service officers to ensure proper system in place, where those few individuals tasked will be held accountable in case of misconduct.