Due to recent modifications made to the Ministry of Finance, the South Sudanese parliament has temporarily halted discussion of the fiscal year 2023–2024 budget, according to a representative for the body.
Last Monday, President Salva Kiir dismissed Dier Tong Ngor as finance minister and appointed Dr. Bak Barnaba Chol to take his place.
Although the precise reason for Tong’s departure is still unknown, it happened at a time when the economy was facing difficulties, such as the devaluation of the local currency, which led to uncontrollable inflation.
Dr. Bak worked as an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Juba, one of South Sudan’s public universities, prior to accepting his current position.
The annual budget’s third reading has been postponed, according to John Agany Deng, chair of the parliamentary information committee, in order to give the incoming minister of finance time to familiarise himself with the budget.
Today, once the budget had been prepared for presentation by the several specialist committees, members of parliament were due to discuss it.
Dier Tong Ngor, a former finance minister, presented the proposed national budget to Parliament in June for the fiscal year 2023–2024. The 2 trillion SSP projected budget mostly addresses civil worker salaries and other government spending.
“We need to give the new minister time to look at the budget because he will have a last statement after the passing of the budget because the third reading is a critical stage. This is where a decision will be made, so the minister has been asked to acquaint himself with the budget and I think within these few days, it will be tabled,” Agany explained.
He added, “The new minister has to acquaint himself with the report only. He needs to be informed about the report, and then of course he will be given the chance even though he is new. A minister, of course, you know is a policy maker and for this matter, the policy didn’t go with the former minister, it remains in the office, so the new minister needs to study it, make the last touches, and then he will make a statement.”
