By Jenifer James
The spokesperson of the transitional parliament of national unity, Oliver Mori Benjamin, said that parliament will resume the sitting on November 4 with the second reading of the fiscal year budget 2024-2025; this comes after the minister of finance tabled the budget last month to the parliament.
Speaking to King News on Monday, the parliament spokesperson, Oliver Mori Benjamin, said the budget was submitted to the parliament 22 days ago after the minister of finance tabled it.
Oliver stated that the various committees and the cluster, plus the Finance Committee, have scrutinized the budget, completed their work, and are waiting for the minister of finance, who is not in the country.
“All preliminary budget discussions must happen in the presence of the Minister of Finance, as members of parliament have many questions that need his responses,” Mori explained that Parliament will continue with sitting from November 4th with a second reading of the budget.
In August, the cabinet approved a draft budget totaling 4.2 trillion South Sudanese pounds, aiming to address the nation’s pressing economic needs. The Finance Minister subsequently presented this ambitious plan to parliament in September, sparking hopes for renewed fiscal stability.
On September 25, the speaker of the parliament forwarded the budget to several Parliamentary Committees, with the specialized Committee on Economy and Planning taking the lead in the review process.
Their task was clear for parliament to conduct a thorough examination and report back to the House within a designated 21-day period. This timeline is crucial for ensuring that the budget can be debated and approved in a timely manner, enabling the government to allocate funds effectively for essential services and development projects.