Category: Economy

Economy

Taxing WES roadblocks force some drivers to suspend movement

Some public transport drivers in Western Equatoria state say they have suspended movement along Juba-Yambio road due to dozens of roadblocks and exorbitant fee charges.

The drivers have accused members of the organized of erecting between 21 and 26 checkpoints and collecting fees.

While the Yambio County commissioner says he was not aware, the army spokesperson advised the drivers to raise their complaints through official channels.

In a voice recording by Eye Radio Tuesday morning, a bus conductor could be heard pleading with a soldier over a fee he was asked to pay.

The man Eye Radio withheld his identity gave 2000 pounds, but the soldier turned it down demanding for more, while warning the conductor to pack the car on the road aside.

Speaking to Eye Radio from Yambio town on Tuesday, some drivers said they  decided to suspend their movement along Juba-Yambio road due to the multiple road fees.

“There is a problem of roadblocks that is why drivers are angry.  They complained a lot to the government but there’s no response. A person who moves from here (Juba) to Yambio will spend like 150, 000 pounds, that’s the issue,” said Moses Henry, one of the drivers.

According to him, the drivers will resume work if the matter is settled by the government.

Another driver Yaba Nyee  said they were not against the road block, but the multiple charges imposed on them by members of the organized forces.

He called on the government to intervene. “The thing we need from our government is to reduce the charges to small amount because the vehicles we use are not ours, and if we go to the owners, they assume we stole the money,” he said.

When contacted, the Western Equatoria County Commissioner, Mbiko Barakat said he was not aware about the concerns raised, neither was the state governor.

“We are not aware, even the governor is not aware, we don’t have any single information like that one maybe that’s their own thing they want to make, but they have not informed us officially.”

Meanwhile, the army spokesperson Major General Lul Ruai Koang  encouraged the complaining drivers to channel their concerns through the official channels.

‘You know whenever claim is made for it to be authentic some kind of additional investigation must be done.

“If they feel aggrieved by the organized forces along Juba-Yambio roads, then they should channel their concerns through the official channels.

 

 

Five KCB Wau branch managers sentenced over embezzlement

The high court in Juba has sentenced five senior staff of Kenyan Commercial Bank to 9 years imprisonment for embezzling $2 million and SSP 100 million from the Wau branch.

The court ordered the convicts pay back the stolen money to the Bank.

It also imposed a one million pound fine one of the convicts and acquitting another.

This came after the internal auditor on June 2022 discovered the disappearance of $2 million and SSP31 million S from  the bank treasury in two of the Wau branches  in Western Bahr el Ghazal State.

This prompted the bank administration to file a criminal case against the Bank branch manager, operation manager and treasury custodian, among others.

Prior to the verdict, the accused made judicial confession to the crime.

Branch manager Madit Steven Jok admitted he was responsible over the disappearance of $1,93,000 and SSP 13,328,530

The second accused, the court identified as Daniel Akoi Jok confessed of taking $ 330.000 and SSP 59,373.825 while Juma Sabeno Augustino who was the third accused admitted stealing 530,000 US dollars.

Presiding Judge Alexander Subek Sabor sentenced the two and three others namely Lino Arkangelo Mongo and Musa Agad Abdallah to 9 years imprisonment on two criminal charges.

“The court has convicted Madit Steven Jok, Daniel Akoi Jok, Juma Sabenio Augustino, Lino Arkangelo Mongo and Musa Agad Abdallah to 2 years imprisonment for violating the section 346 of South Sudan Penal act 2008.

“And also you are hereby sentenced to 7 years imprisonment for violating the section 351 of South Sudan Penal act 2008 the two penalties will be served sequentially.

“The court imposed one million South Sudan Pound as fined on the seventh accused Faisal Mohamad Hamedi if he fails to pay, he will serve 5 months in jail staring from today 6/2/2024, acquitted the eight accused Al Shafique Ahamed Yacob,”

They will serve two years for violating sections 346 and 351 of the South Sudan Penal acts 2008

The convicts have two weeks to appeal against the verdict.

Heads, deputies of national legislative committees get brand new cars

The National Parliament has acquired 85 brand new vehicles for the leadership of the August House including the Chairpersons and deputies of the Specialized Committees.

John Agany who doubles as the chairperson of information committee and spokesperson of the parliament says the vehicles arrived in the country three weeks ago.

Agany – who also received a brand-new Toyota V6 car this week – said 34 the vehicles were delivered to the chairpersons, while their deputies received Toyota land cruisers.

He said the leadership of the parliament and some senior lawmakers also received the cars.

According to Agany, the process of purchasing the vehicles started two years ago, but due to financial constraints, the finance ministry could not deliver them on time.

“The Rt. Hon. Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba did her level best to arrive into this state and she was able to deliver the cars to the new chairpersons.

“The cars arrived three weeks ago, you know the processes of bringing cars is very long, people go to Dubai, they come through Mombasa and from Mombasa they are supposed to be driven to Juba. They brought only 34 cars for the chairpersons and also deputy chairs they were given 42 cars.

“So in fact, it is like 85 cars. In our time, because of the difficulties that our government is in, they provided only one car and we have gone for two years without [cars] so it was really a struggle from the ministry of finance to make it happen.

“When the new minister is appointed in the national level, immediately in the following morning he is granted a car, but for us lawmakers who actually do the business of this budgeting making, we were patient all this time,” he said.

When asked how much was spent on the purchase of the vehicles, Agany declined to comment.

In August last year, the Minister of Finance and Planning said he intended to discourage the purchase of luxury vehicles such as V8 and V6 models by levying heavy taxation on their imports.

According to Dr. Barnaba Bak Chol, this move would help divert funds towards more pressing economic priorities and ensure that resources are channeled towards the recovery and growth of the nation.

In May 2015, South Sudan’s parliament raised a motion to prohibit the purchase of V8 vehicles by public institutions.

Lawmaker Zakaria Matur Makuer from Lakes State said a lot of public funds are being spent by government institutions every time there was a reshuffle.

Matur said South Sudan is the number one importer of Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles in the region, if not in the world.

He said that V8 vehicles are very expensive to buy, run, and maintain.

Also in November last year, Bank of South Sudan’s First Deputy Governor called on government institutions to stop buying expensive cars such as V8s to save more money to improve the economy.

Samuel Yanga said the country can emulate the austerity measures the Khartoum government took in 1992, when all expensive government vehicles were sold, which saved 13 per cent of the country’s revenues.

He said V8s are costly and are not contributing to the economy of the country.

Samuel also added that the money used for luxurious vehicles can be utilized for service delivery.

S. Sudan, where govt employees go for months without salaries

An MP at the national parliament has confirmed lawmakers have not received their salaries for five months now despite the promises by the Finance Ministry to pay government employees on time

Clement Juba – who is the chairperson of South Sudan National Movement for Change, a signatory to the revitalized peace agreement – says the Ministry of Finance failed to pay them their dues without clear reason.

He added that the MPs are yet to receive explanation as to why their salaries are not paid until date.

The lawmaker, whose party is allied to South Sudan Opposition Alliance was speaking on Eye Radio’s Dawn show today.

“As I speak now [Tuesday], we have 5 months without receiving our salaries, and we don’t know why.

“The budget for 2023/2024,  we passed since last year and we passed it based on the requirement of the Minister of Finance. We have incentives and health insurance and this is by law, but the implementation is difficult.”

Civil servants have similarly gone for months without salaries.

Last month, the Ministry of Finance and Planning said it will begin paying civil servants, organized forces salary arrears for the month of August and two months for foreign missions.

Apparently, all government workers including in the states and administrative areas have not received their salaries for the last five months.

Some officials including the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament earlier questioned the delay citing the government earns sufficient revenue.

Finance ministry cautions public against ‘scamming’ social media post

The Ministry of Finance and Planning has cautioned the public that it did not advertised a funding opportunity for businesses and companies through an 11-million-dollar agreement with the African Development Bank and UN agency UNESCO, as claimed by a malicious social media post.

On Sunday, a fake Facebook page bearing the name of Dr. Bak Barnaba Chol alleged that the ministry is seeking application for the grant, after signing the multi-million-dollar deal with the international organizations.

The grant, the post claimed, was intended to support Small and Midsized Interprise (SMES).

Continue reading Finance ministry cautions public against ‘scamming’ social media post

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