July 3, 2014(Nyamilepedia) — More than three quarter of South Sudan’s 2014/2015 budget will be spent on government employees and military. Aggrey Tisa Sabuni, the finance minister, presented a 11.3 billion South Sudanese Pound (SSP) budget for 2014/2015 fiscal year to be passed by the parliament in the next three weeks.
A draft of the national budget, presented by minister Sabuni to parliament, on Wednesday, reveals that nearly 41% of this year’s budget will be spent on security sector.
The minister apportions 28% [~ 4.4 billion SSP] to the national army and approximately 13% [~ 1.573 billions SSP] to police, prison and fire services.
The minister will establish 40%, approximately 4.4 billions South Sudanese Pound, to be paid out in salaries to the government employees.
The remaining one fifth of the budget will be spent on the devastated infrastructure, education and health with less focus on the humanitarian aid.
While 5.5% [~622 million SSP] will be spent on education, 4% [~approximately 451 million SSP], 3.5% [~393 million SSP], and less than 1%Â [~110 million SSP] will be spent on health, infrastructure and humanitarian aid, respectively.
The minister reports that oil revenue will contribute approximately 80% of this year’s budget. Compared to 17.3 billions SSP in 2013/2014 fiscal year, this year budgets has declined by nearly 35%.
Despite the huge budget in 2013/2014, compared to 6.7 billions SSP in 2012/2013 and this year’s budget, the government delivered infinitesimal services to the people as reflected in an SPLM report filed by secretariats in all ten 10 states in 2013.
Sectors like infrastructure that received approximately 664 millions SSP in the previous year have had the least progress.
Unlike the other years, South Sudan anticipates one of the worst famine as Salva Kiir acknowledged on BBC Hardtalk. In addition, humanitarian sector is very vulnerable, as many citizens flee their homes and the country.
The conflict which started 7 months ago is yet to be resolved as agreements are constantly violated. The Addis Ababa peace process is indefinitely postponed, and tensions remain high in Juba, Bentiu and Malakal.
