National parliament building, Juba South Sudan. | File photo.

The Committee on Finance and Economic Planning has ordered the suspension of the remittance of 3% oil share for communities in Unity State, after discovering that it has been going to individual pockets.

Changkouth Bichiock Reth, the Chairperson of the Committee says it observed that “the Unity State Government has not established the community development committee, and the community was not getting its 3% oil share.”

Speaking during the second reading of the fiscal year budget 2023-2024, Honorable Reth stated that the transfer to Unity State must be done until the establishment of a community development committee to manage their 3% oil share.

“The Committee observes that the Unity state government has not established Community Development Committee to manage their 3% oil share,” Changkuoth said.

“The Committee directs the Minister of Finance and Planning to suspend the transfers of the 3% oil share to Unity State until the CDCs are formed and functioning.”

“The committee further directs the Minister of Finance and Planning to provide all the Communities of the oil-producing states and Ruweng Administrative area with copies of the allocation’s matrix.”

Meanwhile, the South Sudan Opposition Alliance, SSOA says the 3 percent oil share to the oil-producing state was undercalculated and it called for its adjustment.

SSOA issued the statement prior to the deliberation of the national budget’s second reading.

For his part, the Minister of Finance and Planning says they have been paying the 3% oil share to account for the respective state and administrative areas.

Dier Tong Ngor was responding to the concern raised by the Committee of Finance and Economic Planning at the National Legislature.

“The fact that whether the 2% and 3% are paid, I can say confidently that since I came in August last year we have been constantly paying the 2% and 3% not only just paying but anytime the states and communities go the bank they will get that money,” Tong said.

“I can guarantee that the money is seating that, we have never used them in a different way.”

However, some lawmakers at the National Legislative Assembly suggested the formation of the Community Development Committee.

Nyaying Johnson Lok, a member of parliament representing the Uror constituency in Jonglei state cautioned over the remittance process.

local government should not deal directly with national

“I suggest that the CDC Committee should be formed at the level of the County to the government in the state and then to the national Ministry of Finance not direct from the County to the National Ministry of Finance because there will be a mix of devolution of the powers there,” Nyayang said.

For his, Hon. Martin Mabil who represents Rukuna County in Unity state suggested the parliament to formed a committee to oversight the formation of the Community Development Committee.

“The Counties failed to do so because they are being intimated by state high authority not to form their Community Development Committee,” said Martin.

“I would like to suggest that an ad-hoc-committee be formed in this August House to go and oversight the formation of the Community Development Committee in those counties.”

“If it is left to the County Commissioners it will never happen because they are being intimated by the higher authority in the state.”

The Finance Committee directed Minister Dier Tong Ngor to provide the communities of the oil-producing states including the Ruweng Administrative area with copies of the allocation matrix.

He also urged the lawmakers to pass the suspension of the transfer of the 3% oil share to Unity state.

Meanwhile, the South Sudan Opposition Alliance, SSOA says the 3 percent oil share to the oil-producing state was under-calculated and it called for its adjustment.

SSOA issued the statement prior to the deliberation of the national budget’s second reading.