An increase in the number of checkpoints along the roads is slowing down delivery of humanitarian assistance to Bentiu, the United Nations has said.

The children agency, Unicef, says they are always being asked to pay huge amount of money at more than 50 checkpoints between Juba – Bentiu.

“Most of these checkpoints are asking for money from the contractors to pass by,” said Jonathan Veitch, country representative. “And I’m talking about large amounts of money that have been required and otherwise the truckers won’t pass.”

Last month, the chairman of JMEC, Festus Mogae, expressed deep concern that aid agencies are being asked to pay money to deliver aid to people affected by the conflict.

He said aid workers pay upto 33,000 pounds per truck on the way to Bentiu.

But the government said the humanitarian agencies should not be paying money to the security officials at the checkpoints.

Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth said the aid worker should stop were they are being asked to pay and inform the government.

He said paying the money was contributing to corruption among the security officers.