South Sudan legislators lash out at ministers over 2008 Budget
By Isaac Vuni
December 18, 2007 (JUBA) — Southern Sudan government ministers are not serious about draft budget discussion of Financial Year 2008, Chairman of Development, Economic and Finance (DEF) committee, Hon. Professor Barri Wanji has said.
Prof. Wanji noted that out of 25 ministers only ten were present during today’s second reading of the budget and those present are the ministries of: Finance and Economic Planning, Parliamentary affairs, Cabinet affairs, Agriculture and Forestry, Culture, Youth and Sports, Gender, Social Services, Cooperative and Rural Development, Telecommunication and Postal Services, Public Service and Human Resource Development.
Hon. Peter Bashir Gbandi, chairperson of Culture and Information rebuked the minister of parliamentary affairs for not having timely reminded the executive about the importance of their participation in budget discussion as important for the welfare of nation, however minister Martin Lumoro of parliamentarian affairs told the august house that ministers who were on mission have been recalled in order to participate in the budget debate. He assured the august house that five ministers are already at Juba International airport and they will join in the discussion.
Nevertheless, the Chairman of DEF, Prof. Wanji commended the achievements scored by GoSS in the improvement of Health services in Juba Teaching Hospital, increased in thousands enrolment of pupils in basic education, improvement of infrastructure such as roads construction and the good foreign relationship policy.
Presenting reports of economy on the draft budget bill of 2008, Hon. Prof. Wanji said the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly stands with principles of democratic system of governance by ensuring that financial resources are targeted for enhancement of economic growth, job creation, service delivery, realization of equity in socio-economic development and ensuring security in the ten states of southern Sudan.
“Draft Budget was delayed for two months without any sound explanation from the concerned minister. I don’t understand why budget is brought very late to us lawmakers”, posed Prof. Wanji.
The executive have assumed that if they brings the budget very late, the august house will be forced to hurriedly pass it and this has happened twice during the budgets of 2006, 2007 and now 2008. This seem a deliberate attempt to provoke conflict between the executive and the lawmakers and should that be then the result will be in win-win situation, remarks Prof. Wanji.
The head of parliament finance committee went further saying that both the legislators and executive are in transition and would like to avoid as much as possible any conflict between the lawmakers and the executives.
Prof Wanji emphasized that GoSS is an organic body where the legislators, executives and judiciary share one objective. Nevertheless, Hon. Wanji noted with dismay that for the last two years, draft budget was brought very late to the august house consequently disrupted many planed programmes of the august house.
The chamber noted that Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has under spent its last year budget by 65% while the Culture, Youth and Sport under spent by 68%
Noted that the ministries culture, youth and sports has not taken care of cultural promotion of Southern Sudan in 2008 budget and instead budgeted huge amount for house rent and international trips.
The committee observed that huge amount has been spent on house rent and equipments while they also noted with concern that the DDR Commission is not fully operational.
“It is absurd that GoSS had been and is still depending on food being brought from neighboring Uganda and Kenya while the government has ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is there doing very little to alleviate dependency on foreign food,” said Wanji.
He also noted that the Auditor General chamber and Anti corruption commissions are not effective on practical aspect on the ground.
PENSION RESERVE
Hon. Prof. Wanji said the balance of oil revenue for the Southern Sudan stood at 1.2 billion Sudanese pounds. Adding that No nation can survive without guarantee of reserve like in southern Sudan government situation where it depend whole on oil revenue. Otherwise, it’s a matter of life or death, south must build it own reserve funds, declared Wanji.
Since there is no pension reserve, from where is the minister of finance going to pay pensioners? Questioned Hon. Wanji.
“Let us established our own pension reserve as one million are being collected daily in southern Sudan borders points but are misappropriated by individuals officials charged with collecting such revenue, recommended Wanji.
That the supplementary budget presented by minister Finance and Economic planning violets the interim constitution of southern Sudan, therefore, the august house demanded that the supplementary budget they approved must be audited by January next year.
Hon. Prof. Wanji denied allegation that the southern Sudan parliament has used the reserved funds, contrary he said the culprits are in the ministry of Finance and Economic Planning who are outside the house.
The DEF committee under the chairmanship of Hon. Prof. Wanji recommended for delivery of services to the people of Southern Sudan through a decentralized system of government where GoSS and the states prepare their development plans using principle of bottom top approach as an organic process.
The DEF also recommended that GoSS ministry of Finance and Economic Planning should present a quarterly progress report to the Southern Sudan cabinet besides presenting a bi-annual progress report in the second week of the first month of each session on revenue and expenditure to Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly.
The chamber directed all revenue generating ministries and agencies of GoSS to redouble their efforts in collection of revenue and to timely remit them to the treasury.
Contributing to the budget Debate, MP Abeny Nathaniel Anai wondered why the house is not talking about the fallen heroes who sacrificed their lives in order to free people of Southern Sudan from injustices, oppression and marginalization.
MP Mohamed al-Haj noted that South Sudan is not adequately being exposed to international media neither does GoSS ministry of Information and Broadcasting have a website to portray image of Southern Sudan to the outside world.
MP Arop Madut noted with dismay that the main core departments in the ministry of information and broadcasting such as printing press, cinematography and archive were not included in this year budget yet the south is in dry need of adopting new era technology vital for news and information dissemination across southern Sudan to the rest of the world. The lawmakers directed that ministry of Finance and Economic Planning should not withdrawn money from the reserve fund without approval of the august house.
The speaker of the assembly, James Wani Igga, thanked the minister of Finance and Economic planning together with committee of DEF for their well-done job and the draft budget goes for the third reading next tomorrow. The attendance was 133 presents, 15 absent with permission.
(ST)