Market traders file complaint against South Darfur Ministry

19/05/2014 11:11

The merchants of the grain, onion, and chilly market in Nyala have filed a complaint against the Ministry of Urban Planning of South Darfur State. The market traders accuse the Ministry of seizing their shops for investment aims, and stripping them of rights they have been enjoying for more than 50 years. A number of merchants told the Sudanese El Jareeda daily that the Ministry suddenly reneged on its agreement to allocate four by four square metre to each shopkeeper, granting priority to those with historical rights. The Ministry instead announced that the allocation will be based on a lottery system. The merchants stressed that they have been paying all taxes and royalties imposed by the state for the past 50 years, and urged the South Darfur State Governor to promptly intervene, and halt what the market traders called “messing with our property”. File photo

The merchants of the grain, onion, and chilly market in Nyala have filed a complaint against the Ministry of Urban Planning of South Darfur State.

The market traders accuse the Ministry of seizing their shops for investment aims, and stripping them of rights they have been enjoying for more than 50 years.

A number of merchants told the Sudanese El Jareeda daily that the Ministry suddenly reneged on its agreement to allocate four by four square metre to each shopkeeper, granting priority to those with historical rights. The Ministry instead announced that the allocation will be based on a lottery system.

The merchants stressed that they have been paying all taxes and royalties imposed by the state for the past 50 years, and urged the South Darfur State Governor to promptly intervene, and halt what the market traders called “messing with our property”.

File photo