South Sudan resolves to distribute constituency funding equally
By Philip Thon Aleu
June 14, 2011 (JUBA) – The Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) unanimously voted on Tuesday to share the $44.9 million (102 million Sudanese Pounds – SDG) Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) to all 170 members of parliament ending long debates on which members qualified for the funds.
The SSLA’s Constituencies Fund Committee (CFC), chaired by James Reat Gony (SPLM, Upper Nile state), presented a report recommending that every MP entitled to get funding for their constituency projects funding from CDF.
MPs to South Sudan’s parliament are elected through three lists in an attempt to ensure that MP represent region in a balanced way. The lists are geographical (with a constituency), political parties and women – to increase the number of female MPs.
Party and women’s list MPs were also advised to “pool up their CDF money” for the state wide territories they represent. The MPs adopted the CFC recommendation and demanded that the current CDF Act be amended to cater for MPs who did not have a constituency.
The CDF program was adopted by SSLA in 2007 to directly boost rural development. But some constituency funds failed to reach the health, education or water projects the money was put aside for. On Tuesday MPs discussed this issue although it was noted that some constituencies had benefited.
The CFC, the body tasked to monitor and approve projects funded through CDF, said in a report that 120 million SDG was available and 16 million SDG ($6 million) was expected from ministry of finance of Government of southern Sudan (GoSS) for the fiscal year 2010. Five percent of the total will remain in a emergency reserve for the whole of South Sudan. According to the CDF law, 10 percent goes towards administrative costs and 85 percent for project costs.
The fierce four hour debate, under the chairmanship of speaker James Wani Igga, centered on allowing women and party list representatives be allowed to benefit from the CDF as opposed to some MPs who argued otherwise.
Today’s resolution means that women and party lists representatives will collect CDF funds and wait for an amendment of the current CDF legislation so that pooling of constituencies development funds is permitted.
On July 9, the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly will become the law making body of an independent South Sudan. A 2005 peace deal with Khartoum gave the region the right to secede through a referendum. An overwhelmingly vote for secession earlier this year means that the Republic of South Sudan will become the world’s 193rd country – if you count UN membership – in less than a month.
(ST)
Naked Dinka
South Sudan resolves to distribute constituency funding equally
Guys do know that Pagan Amum is under house arrest? Kiir has done terrible thing to imprison Pagan. Kiir is no longer fit to be a president, of course how is he going to represent South Sudan if he the president has got FOUR WIVES, it’s real a big shame. A vision leader can’t be polygamist, he’s showing bad example. And also he goes to office when he’s drunk.
Riak
South Sudan resolves to distribute constituency funding equally
Hi naked idiot,
Let’s me assured that all of them are on the same boat. Therefore, your claim is baseless.
Paul Chadrack
South Sudan resolves to distribute constituency funding equally
The title of this article is not matching the body below, instead of putting it as south sudan corrupt mps planned to divide public fund among themselves. because the said money is always not being delivered to where they supposed to go, but shamelessly ending in those greedy mps pockets who are wrongly placed there. my worry is wil south sudan after independent manage the coming nation resources?, future will prove it.what happent to nile commercial bank is what is going to occur in the new nation.
Madut Tong
South Sudan resolves to distribute constituency funding equally
Dear readers,
the report is shocking as it declares that,”The Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) unanimously voted on Tuesday to share the $44.9 million (102 million Sudanese Pounds – SDG) Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) to all 170 members of parliament ending long debates on which members qualified for the funds.” how will the development be achieved with this limited amount of money and great number of constituencies. It seems to me that the Legislative assembly doesn’t have a clear vision about what they want to achieve with that money. Everyone is fighting for his/her constituency, but the question is can the distribution of 102 million SGD to 170 constituencies makes the development need in each constituency? if the amount is divide equally it will be 600,000 for each constituency. What development is that meager amount of money is going to achieve. So, the legislative assembly has to plan well and prioritize the development in south Sudan and put forward strategies for achieving the projects, whether long term or short term.
This failure is due to the lack of visionary leadership, many of the members were elected just to go and warm the pews without having the idea of being a member of the legislative assembly. See the way they interpret a member as representing his/her constituency what a lost! You were elected but not to represent your people and bring to them a well bake cake, but to say their view concerning issues facing the country. Development should be prioritize beginning with the areas that are in crucial needs, and stop the game of distributing the development funds like the relief.
Sam.Eto
South Sudan resolves to distribute constituency funding equally
Well we know where that money is really going ! To the pockets of those members and their families. Billions of dollars given to the GOSS and its government officials and not a single project to show for in the last 6 yrs – NOT ONE !
Mr. godfather master of reality
South Sudan resolves to distribute constituency funding equally
NO PEACE NO DEVELOPMENT
SUDAN IS INDEED THE COUNTRY THAT WILL NEVER EVER SEE PEACE
FOR TWO REASON
ONE: THE HEAD OF OMAR ALBESHIIR MUST BE CUT OFF
TWO: THE TRIBAL LEADER SALVER KIIR MUST BE REMOVED
AFTER THAT I WILL SAY YES THERE IS HOPE FOR PEACE
Lokeji
South Sudan resolves to distribute constituency funding equally
I don’t understand why the southern MPs are getting involved into executive duties while leaving their monitoring duties?
If today the SSLA MPs are to be allocated fund($44.9 million equivalent to 102 million SDG)for the development of their constituencies, who will be there to monitor the used of this fund? or what will be the duties of the executive branch of the government?
it never happened in the world that, you can be a player and a refree in the same match, you have only one choice either to be a player or refree but not both.
Do these MPs know what are they suppose to be doing in this honourable house? or they are given this project as a bribe from the king, in order for them to pass the king’s interim constitution.
God have mercy on us and give us good leaders not good rulers or dictators
Kon Garang
South Sudan resolves to distribute constituency funding equally
I kindly request the GOSS to create a better way of using 44.9 us dollars for services delivery to the people of southern Sudan.
If it is through the so called CDF it will be like throwing a meat into the mouth of a hungry lion.
Those MPs will never use the money for services delivery for two reasons among others;
1-Most of them are former SPLA veterans who spent long time in war planning but not developmental planning.
2- There is no proper accountability mechanism and this can easily lead to corruption.
Madut Tong
South Sudan resolves to distribute constituency funding equally
Lokeji,
Bravo, these MPs are not executive but legislators, how will they implement the development funds. May be they want to make a name for themselves by showing their constituencies that they have brought money for development. This is not their work and I urge southerners to elect right people in the coming election, not just gang of people who do not care safe for themselves.
Nan dit
South Sudan resolves to distribute constituency funding equally
Dear Naked Dinka,
You talk of being naked and forget of your madness.You comment as you forgot your life,you don’t have to abuse leaders.There might be a reason for detention,People wondered where you guys got informations from and wether these informatios are realevent or not.We are tired of your complains on Dinkas and Salva,in every hour Kiir does this to y and z and Mr.x and y is in this and that.
My comment:
The decission passed in SSLA for CDF to be given to MPs is acceptable but totally wrong. Majority of our MPs in Southern Sudan lacking capacity toward development to utilise funds.The previous CDF where not fairly delivered to all the constituencies.Majority fail to do their jobs due to the mindfull of corruption and lack of capacity.The anti corruption commission kept silence not to conduct investigation, what a big shame.