S. Sudan’s Jonglei’s new states share assets worth SSP10.5m

February 15, 2016 (BOR) – The sharing of assets, which emerged following the creation of four new regions out of South Sudan’s Jonglei state has finally been implemented.

The allocation, officials said, was mainly determined based on population sizes in each of the state. A state with lots of people took the lion’s share.

After creation of 28 states by president Salva Kiir in October last year, Jonglei was was divided into Western and Eastern Bieh states, Boma state and Jonglei state.

Boma state was excluded from the sharing because it was formed as a separate administrative unit before the 28 states were instituted by last year’s presidential decree.

The ex-government of Jonglei state registered assets legible for sharing in the state late last year. Although the value of the assets was not publicly announced, it was clear both cash, debts, movable assets and workforce within the state government were to be shared among the four states.

Last week, at the time of the sharing, there was SSP1.5 million in the government treasury and unpaid outstanding loan of SSP9 million as well.

According to the ex-director general in the local government ministry, Bashir Deng, now the secretary general in the new western Bieh state, SSP1.5 million cash was divided according to the new state population.

“The actually amount of money, 1.5 million that was in cash was divided according to Population. Jonglei had the lion share, followed by Eastern Bieh and Western Bieh was the least”, Bashir told Sudan Tribune.

But Mawut Achiek, the secretary general in new Jonglei state said dividing assets and debts by population size was an easy and fair method so far.

Everything that was purchased using government money, was distributed in the same way, including computers, shares and tables, he added.

(ST)