Lakes State approves SSP21.9 billion 2024/25 fiscal year budget
The minister of finance and planning, Majok Anhiem Dhal, said the budget was unanimously passed by the council of ministers.
By Makur Adut
Lakes State Council of Ministers, chaired by Governor Rin Tueny, has approved SSP 21.9 billion fiscal year budget (2024-2025).
The minister of finance and planning, Majok Anhiem Dhal, said the budget was unanimously passed by the council of ministers.
He said the total drop in resource envelope of this fiscal year 2024/2025 was SSP 21. 9 billion.
“How did we arrive at (SSP) 21 billion? We estimated an increase of 5% of the SSP 20 billion, and that’s why we have arrived at 21 billion South Sudanese pounds,” he explained.
He added that SSP1billion is the deficit and they will cover it through local resources or through the ceiling budget that will come from Juba.
” But, as a budgeting principle, we need to start with our budget until we get a ceiling from the national government.”
He noted that the criteria they used in the 2023/2024 budget was not implemented.
“It was not a fault of Lakes State government. It was also not the fault of national government. It was due to the crisis that happened from our borders with Sudan, because our oil production was cut off because of the war in Sudan. That’s why we didn’t implement the 2023/2024 budget,” he said.
“But, up to now, we are still under the 2023 budget. We still have an arrears of 2 months, November and December last year.”
Dhal stated that this amounts to 12 months, and the national government is working day and night, under the leadership of the national Minister of Finance to make sure the arrears are catered for when the oil production is resumed.
“It was a national ministry of health, which was under budgeted by the national government because, worldwide, health is given 15% of total revenue allocation. But, in South Sudan, people are not putting it into consideration by only giving 7% which is not enough with manpower of the ministry of health in the state,” he explained.
“So, as the State government under the leadership of Governor Rin Tueny, and I as minister of finance, the manpower of who is working in the hospital, is not from the national government. They are civil servants of Lakes State, citizens of Lakes State and they are also giving service to the community of Lakes State. That is why we catered for them in the block that is supposed to be used by the other non-line ministries,” Dhal said.
“We are asking the national minister of health through the council of ministers and the presidency because this is a shared government and presidency to see that the issue of health is sorted.”
When contacted, the Coordinator of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) in Lakes State, Daniel Laat hailed, Lakes State for passing the budget even though it came late.
“When people talk about the fiscal year budget, it should have started from July to July, and now we are already in November. If the government said our priority is education, health and sanitation, this is the right time Parliament needs to debate on it , and look into the budget step by step,” he said.
“How did we arrive at (SSP) 21 billion? We estimated an increase of 5% of the SSP 20 billion, and that’s why we have arrived at 21 billion South Sudanese pounds,” he explained.