Jonglei state unveils government vehicles for private use
September 24, 2015 (BOR) – The council of ministers in South Sudan’s Jonglei state has, due to high maintenance costs, allowed six of its old vehicles to be used by the public
An assessment will be conducted by mechanics, finance and cabinet affairs ministry officials, to determine the value of each vehicle to be sold to interested ministers.
During the reign of former, Kuol Manyang Juuk, government vehicles were given to cabinet ministers. It remains unclear how much the ministers paid for the vehicles.
Also some of the state ministers, who were handed over these vehicles, joined rebellion.
The state minister of information, Jody Jonglei confirmed payments had not yet started.
“The value that would be paid on each vehicle depends on the committee assessment, when they come with prices, people would be ready to pay”, he said without disclosing names.
The government has not been ready to cover the cost of maintenance these vehicles and this is one of the reasons that forced it to privatise them, added the minister.
The state, under controversial circumstances, had budgeted SSP8 million for more than 35 brand new vehicles to be bought from the 2014/2015 budget. These vehicles included 28 executive vehicles (V8), with total cost of SSP5 million and SSP3 million for other vehicles for directors and other senior officials in the ministries.
Only 15 of the 28 executive vehicles were bought by the company procured to buy them.
“The financial year has already finished. The vehicles, which we bought, are still us here. Those vehicles, which we paid the money for, are still with the company. We got 15 vehicles and the company was dashing us with the rest”, further said Jody.
More vehicles, the minister added, would be budgeted for within the 2015/2016 budget.
The poor state of roads in and around Jonglei state have rapidly destroyed the vehicles.
(ST).