The Council of Ministers has endorsed a budget for the fiscal year 2018/2019 to the tune of 79 billion South Sudanese pounds and lifted the fuel subsidies.

The deputy minister of information, Lilly Albino Akol, said 78 billion pounds will be raised by the government and the other one billion will be sourced externally.

She announced the budget after the council’s weekly meeting on Friday.

“The Resource Envelop for the 2018- 2019 fiscal year is 79 billion South Sudanese Pounds,” she revealed.

Meanwhile, the council has lifted the fuel subsidies.

This comes three months after the Minister of Finance earlier said the national legislature gave the state company, Nilepet, a permission to remove fuel subsidies.

This he said was after he requested for during the budget presentation in February.

Ms Albino said the council of minister has approved the removal and instructed the petroleum ministry to implement the order immediately.

She said is this because the council felt it was unfair to sell fuel at 22 pounds per a litter, while other citizens are buying at the market rate which is about 300 SSP.

“The council felt it’s unfair to subsidize one group while leaving the citizens to suffer,” she said.

“The funds they were used to subsidized the fuel can now be to implement some important projects for the government like paying salaries of government employees.”