Unity State presents oil revenue expenditure to council of ministers
By Bonifacio Taban Kuich
March 12, 2011 (BENTIU) – Unity state’s ministry of Finance, Trade and Industry presented the previous budget of 2010 and 2011 during the council of minister on Friday in Unity State. The acting director general of the ministry Kai Riak Kueithoy said that Unity states annual oil revenue last year was 30 million Sudanese Pounds (SDG), over $10 million.
Members of the council asked where the money had gone considering the lack of development in the state.
The council of ministers in Unity state degreed 40,000 SDG to support university and colleges students studies in Kenya, Uganda and Egypt in 2010, with 20,000 SDG given to students in Kenya and 10,000 SDG a piece to students in Uganda and Egypt.
On Friday the acting director of the ministry told Sudan Tribune the purpose of the funds was to support the affairs of the student’s union in the countries, with the aim to help the Unity state students specifically. He added that the state government already awarded two scholarships for students to study their master degree abroad. One of the students will attend Daystar University in Nairobi, Kenya and the other will study at the Metropolitan University in London.
In Unity state the ministry reported that the oil revenues had funded the building of 12km tarmac road from the governor’s office towards Rubkotna county and a power plant..
At this point in the meeting many questioned where the two percent of oil goes, while there is no development happening in the state.
The state government say that the new road and power plant are indications of where the oil money has been spent.
Since the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the ruling National Congress Party and former southern rebels the Sudan People’s Liberation Army oil revenues from southern oil has been divided 50-50 between North and South.
The deal ended decades of conflict and gave the South the right to secede through a referendum. In January the South overwhelmingly voted to become independent.
When the South achieves independence in July, the current oil agreement will expire leaving the South with higher revenues. However the South will still need to export and refine the oil in North Sudan. The details of this are being negotiated along with other issues between the two sides.
In the peace accord oil producing states in South Sudan are granted 2 percent of oil revenues from those fields.
However, for some questions remain over what the 180,000,000 SDG ($64,981,949) Unity state has received over the last six years has been spent on.
However, many citizens in the state say they cannot see where the money has been spent.
(ST)
Bol Deng
Unity State presents oil revenue expenditure to council of ministers
When i lay my hands on uncountable goods then that way i can see it.2% had been proposed Dr Dr John Garang to the state the oil extract as the formula for south Sudanese to get more share from 100%. Say a mean to Dr for his critical thinking other this 2%.
gatbentiutwo
Unity State presents oil revenue expenditure to council of ministers
Dear all,can you all see the above mentioned amount ?.unbelievable that the State look poor while lots of money went to individuals pockets and account.
god help Bentiu peoples ,please
Phil
Unity State presents oil revenue expenditure to council of ministers
2 percent of oil revenue does not match huge negative impact of oil exploitation in Unity State. Simple questions that require answers are: do the authorities there meet their obligations in terms of development, health and safety in the state? Why is the 2 percent spent on wages?
Incompetence might be a factor letting down inhabitants of this great state.
Phil
Wei Deng
Unity State presents oil revenue expenditure to council of ministers
Over 10 million US dollars can make look like a paradise but could not happen in the hand of Taban and his cliques. People of Unity State have been deprived of all rights they suppose to enjoy.
Haak
Unity State presents oil revenue expenditure to council of ministers
dear readers,
please would you mind to allow me to make some correction in the above budget presented by the state minister of trade, economic plans and investment of unity state,
1. as university student from one of mentioned diapora countries (Uganda, Kenya and Egpyt), am sorry to inform you that we never received any sum of money as per as Uganda is concern, to be open enought, i myself am the speaker of unity state colleges and university student’s union in Uganda (USCUSU-U) therefore, i pledge that goes to students i must have to know it, hence we never recieved the 10,000 SDG mentioned above.
2. as student pursuing public related course at university and as unity state citizen, i would like to correct the mediocre person don’t have financial backup that, there is noway that can 2010 budget the same as that of 2011 as if the population is growing down instead. please its imposible before professional point of viewed, otherise it big indicator that embezzlement and corruption ranks on top.
dear readers am sorry to be sincerly and critical but why should i shy awya from the true professional
thanks
Haakamadolgy