Governor Calls For Expenditure Control
The Eastern Equatoria State Governor Louis Lobong Lojore joined the President of the Republic of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit and appealed to South Sudanese leaders to continue with the austerity budget even when the oil revenue resumes. 28 April 2013 Governor Louis Lobong Lojore insists that the financial budget which begins on 1 July 2013 should first continue for a moment to maintain the ongoing austerity measures. [Gurtong | File] By Peter Lokale Nakimangole TORIT, 27 April 2013 [Gurtong] – He insists that the Country’s New Year Financial budget which begins on first July 2013 until 30 June 2014 should first continue for a moment to maintain the ongoing austerity measures. Like the President of the of the Republic General Salva Kiir on Tuesday warned that there will be a gradual and systematic return to pre-shutdown budget levels, the governor Lobong cheerfully welcomes the move urging the leaders include citizens at domestic level to control their respective daily expenditure regardless of re-opening of oil production in the country. The governor told a public rally that people spent lots of money after the signing of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement in reckless ways without proper budgeting saying this should not continue anymore as the country economically heads badly. According to the state governor, people should continue with productive spending mechanisms employed right after the introduced austerity measures last year following the shut-down of oil production. The governor had called the public rally at Freedom Square in Torit town to address citizens on current concerns in the state and in the country that included the re-opening of the oil production. He talked of the bad road conditions in the state, road attacks along Juba-Nsitu, Juba-Nimule highway and also the recent bloody clash between government forces and armed criminals in Budi County that followed a deadly cattle raid in Bira. Other issues in the address of the governor also included the position of the Equatoria region to commit to supporting President Salva Kiir Mayardit in the leadership of the country. Last Tuesday as he reopened the National Assembly in Juba, the President General Kiir appealed to South Sudanese leaders to keep their belts tightened until the end of the year as the country’s next budget will continue to retain many elements of austerity measures. Kiir said there will be a gradual and systematic return to pre-shutdown budget levels. “Our next budget will retain many elements of austerity and we must keep our belts tight until the end of the year. There will be a gradual and systematic return to pre- shutdown budget levels,” he said. He said the priorities of the budget that will be brought to Lawmakers in the Parliament as far as the next is concerned will reflect an increase in infrastructure development, agriculture, livestock and fisheries and vital services in education and health. “The priorities of the budget that will come to you will reflect an increase in infrastructure development, agriculture, livestock and fisheries and vital services in education and health.” “In this respect, our citizens should already be noticing certain improvements. The South Sudan Pound is strengthening against the dollar. I expect this trend to continue, as the effects of oil income are felt.” The President in part of his 19-page speech says hopefully, the Central Bank and black market values of our currency will soon be equal, or close to it and this will discourage those who have become used to exploiting the gap in order to profit from Forex deals. President Kiir in his speech notes that it is better for his the Country citizens to enjoy the benefits of a strong currency, backed by genuine wealth, than to gamble on a weak currency, and thus further weaken it. Posted in: Home, Governance -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
