South Sudan embarks on financial management reforms
October 24, 2010 (JUBA) – The semi autonomous regional government of Southern Sudan has embarked on rigorous public financial management reforms to address weaknesses in the sector for better transparency and accountability regarding the use of public funds.
The regional government said it is determined to set up a functioning unit within the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP) as part of fiscal decentralization efforts, to deal with intergovernmental fiscal relations and to ensure that actions of local government, especially in terms of borrowing, do not impact negatively on the national budget.
Salvatore Garang Mabiordit, an undersecretary in the ministry of finance and economic planning, told participants attending a financial management and budgeting processes workshop, in Juba on Sunday, that the ministry is committed to addressing lapses in the financial management system.
The workshop attended by representatives from all ten states of south Sudan was to discuss a draft report by a group of consultants on development planning and budgeting processes for better harmonized and co-coordinated national budgeting processes towards decentralization.
The senior government official said a good public financial management system, driven by efficient planning and budgeting system, had a direct bearing on effective public service delivery.
He said that there was a need to ensure planning and budgeting at both higher and lower levels to improve financial management.
Calling participants to increase efforts in reporting and accounting for financial resources, he explained reporting helps in ensure that public funds are managed judiciously
The official who gave assurances that the government would continue to attach importance to prudent measures of managing the region’s resources, added that government was committed to ensuring that utilization of national resources was consistent with fiscal prudence and sound financial spending.
“If the resources are not used well, it would be difficult to manage the inflows that come from the oil industry,” said Mabiordit.
He also called for improvement of financial management system.
“The ministry encourages all those involved in financial management to adopt improved standards. There must also be commitment to cementing linkages between higher and lower levels on budgeting.”
He expressed dissatisfaction at the manner public resources were managed at all levels of government, adding that there was a huge disconnection between management of funds at the local level and higher level.
“There are different streams of funds going to the assemblies and the ministry has very little information as to the utilization of these resources and how they impact on the macro economy,” explained the official.
Mabiordit also disclosed that the Ministry had started the 2011 budget preparation process and urged participants to take an interest in both the process and government priorities identified for next year.
(ST)