MP Warns Of Deteriorating Development In Central Equatoria

This article was last updated on May 25, 2022

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Kajo-Keji County MP Francis Dabe said that only six percent of the annual budget is allocated on service delivery while the rest is for salaries and administration.

According to Dabe, less than a quarter of the budget is distributed to the various development sectors such as; education, health, agriculture, roads among others.

The Legislator called for a reversal of economic policies in the state to revive the stalled projects.

“The lack of funds for service delivery by the State government explains why there is no development in the State,” Dabe told journalists in Juba.

Central Equatoria State has witnessed seven years of peace stability since the signing of the peace agreement in 2005.

However, the state is still struggling to overcome challenges of road development, health, education and provision of basic services.
 
Dabe pointed out that the centralization of revenue collections by the national government is likely to affect the state economic planning, calling on the State Ministry of Finance to find new sources of finances.

According to Dabe, the state government has increased government institutions that consume mass resources and their functions can hardly be realised.

“There is need for screening of the State work force,” he said.

He mentioned that the creation of nine state advisory bodies to the Governor which is against the mandate of the state constitution is an issue that needs to be reversed.

In May, the Central Equatoria State Governor Clement Wani Konga appointed nine advisors in his new government.

Advisors were appointed to the following positions: Special Affairs, Political Affairs, Security, Economics, Gender, Animal Resources and Fisheries among others.

In the previous government there were only three advisors on: Gender, Security and Political Affairs.

Central Equatoria State has also seen an increase in state ministers from nine at independence, to 13.

The state also hosts the national government which employs nationals from all the ten states of South Sudan leading to an increase in population and struggle for the limited resources.

The State Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Jacob Aligo last week said the state has lost 30 Million South Sudan Pounds in the last three months due to the centralisation of revenue collections.