Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The national parliament on Tuesday passed a 1.4 trillion pounds fiscal budget for 2022/2023 with a deficit of 560 billion pounds.
The budget sealing will be raised through the oil proceeds estimated at 715 billion pounds and non-oil revenue sources to the tune of 117 billion pounds.This means the total resource envelope available is 832 billion pounds.
Changkuoth Bishiock Reath who is the Chairperson of the Economic Committee at the Revitalized Transitional Legislative Assembly explained this to reporters on Tuesday.
“This year’s budget is 1.4 trillion, that is the budget that was passed, and this is the same budget that was passed by the cabinet. Out of this budget, 560 billion is a deficit,” said the chairperson of the finance committee.
“Out of the resources we have, 715 from oil revenue and 117 from non oil revenue which brings the total of 832 billion SSP. But the whole expenditure is estimated at 1.4 trillion dollars.”
It is not clear how the government is going to cover the deficit in the budget expected to come into force soon.
However, despite the shortfall, the parliament has ordered the executive to table another bill to incorporate the new salary structure for the civil servants and the unified organized forces.
“The parliament is concerned, and it wants to pass this, but we are waiting for the executive and have ordered the Minister of Finance to table the new salaries and wages for civil servants and the organized forces including recently graduated unified forces,” said Bichiok.
“We are asking that by this October, they should bring the new budget. Once it is brought to us we will not take time to pass it so that our citizens also enjoy it. Our Citizens are getting 1000, 2000, 4000 pounds and this is nothing.”
The lawmakers have demanded the supplementary to be tabled in.
According to the Country’s Constitution, the financial year begins on July 1st.
But in August, President Kiir delayed the implementation stating that the government was yet working to clear arrears of civil servants, and was financing debts, among others.
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