South Sudan parliament passes 1.4 trillion SSP budget

(radiotamazuj.org)

The Transitional National Legislative Assembly has passed a 1.4 trillion South Sudanese Pounds budget for the 2022/2023 Fiscal Year.  

The budget, with a deficit of 506 billion SSP, was passed on Tuesday during a seating chaired by the speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba.

According to the budgetary allocation, the ministries of presidential affairs, cabinet affairs and foreign affairs received the highest allocation of 138.4 billion SSP.  

The education sector received 112.84 billion SSP, security 75.33 billion SSP, economic function 73.1 billion SSP, natural resources and rural development got 67.32 billion SSP.

The health docket receiving 34.7 billion SSP, rule of law allocated 31.7 billion SSP, infrastructure allocated 12.5 billion SSP, social and humanitarian affairs received 6.08 billion SSP and least allocated was accountability docket receiving 2.4 billion SSP.

The budget is expected to be funded partly by oil revenues to a tune of 715.8 billion SSP, and non-oil revenues to a tune of 117.04 billion SSP. 

During the deliberations, lawmakers observed that the new improved civil servants' salaries structure had not been reflected in the budget and they called on the finance minister to inform the execute to reflect the new structure in October. 

The lawmakers also observed that diversification of the economy to avoid over-reliance on oil, improved funding to the ministry of health.

Rebecca Joshua Okwachi, the Chief Whip of the SPLM in the TNLA, called on the executive to expedite the inclusion of improved salaries for the civil servants and organized forces.  

“We are all concerned and I appreciate the members of parliament for continuously raising the concerns for the increment of salaries of the civil servants and the organized forces, Now that the situation seems to be challenging for the government, we want to urge the cabinet to very quickly come out with very clear results and also for you in parliament we will not leave any stone unturned to follow up with the cabinet,” she noted.

Meanwhile, Justin Joseph Marona, from the SPLM/IO representing Western Equatoria state proposed more funds to lay off civil servants who are above retirement age.

The Council of Ministers in June approved the amended 1.3 trillion SSP budget, an equivalent of $2.71 billion for the 2022/2023 financial year.

By law, the budget should be submitted to the national legislature no later than May 15 of each financial year, but this has not been happening for the last two years.