South Sudan dissatisfied with ‘budget ceiling policy’
By James Gatdet Dak
August 13, 2008 (JUBA) – The Government of Southern Sudan’s independent Commissions and Chambers on Wednesday expressed their dissatisfaction to the present Government’s policy of imposing budget ceilings on the institutions when presenting their respective annual budget proposals.
Most of the Commissions also requested for supplementary budgets with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, saying they have already exhausted their 2008 respective budgets four months before the end of the fiscal year.
They also complained that they lacked enacted laws that would allow them to legally execute some of their duties, lamenting that their proposed bills were either held in the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development, executive clusters before reaching the Council of Ministers or in the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly which is supposed to finally endorse them.
An example is the Anti-Corruption Commission which said could not go after those who have cases of corruption simply because of lack of laws.
In 2005, the Government of Southern Sudan established more than ten specialized independent Commissions and Chambers to carry out technical activities for the Government.
In their Tuesday’s meeting with the Vice President, Riek Machar Teny, the Commissions Chairpersons said their work achievements have been affected by lack of sufficient budgets that would cover their respective capital for civil works, operating costs and salaries for the last three years.
They blamed the Government’s policy of imposing ceilings on budgets which cuts off some of proposed budget items of the institutions.
Machar directed some of the Commissions that have exhausted their budgets to discuss the issue with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning before the Council of Ministers deliberate on the matter.
Respective supplementary budgets they have requested ranged from hundreds of thousands to few millions in US dollars.
Machar also directed them to early finalize their 2009 budget proposals so that they are endorsed by both the executive and legislative bodies before the year’s end.
The Government of Southern Sudan adopted the policy of imposing budget ceilings for all its institutions including Ministries since its formation in 2005, citing financial constraints as the cause.
It receives average annual budget of 1.3 billion US dollars, most of which comes from oil revenue, to cater for the three years old Government’s expenditures including the army.
(ST)