Courtesy

President Salva Kiir has given Finance Minister Marial Dongrin Ater a limited time to find solutions to the economic crisis by creating a single account and generating none-oil revenues for government.

“If you take this up, I’m sure we will not have problem at all. You create a net so that you catch money and then find a solution,” Kiir told Minister Dongrin.

He urged the new finance Minister who previously worked in the South Sudan Revenue Authority to create a single account, raise one-oil revenues and find solutions to the economic crisis.

The head of state said the country has a lot of money that is enough to pay the civil servants but the revenues end up individual accounts.

“The solution will be the you have one single account. Because money is being collected from the people. If you understand the issue, I’m sure we will not have any problem at all.

“Because the money that is collected, everyone has their own accounts and these counts do not come to the people. Everyone will take the money to their bosses whom they know. So, I give you a very limited time.”

The 2023-2024 financial year closed on June 30 with civil servants not paid their salaries for nine months.

The none- salary payments triggered protests in some parts of the country in recent months.

“The money from the none-oil revenues is enough to pay people and to do everything. Let us believe that you will…” he added.

Meanwhile, Minister Dongring assured the president that he would quickly determine a realistic and viable actions to address pressing economic issues.

“My excellency, as I take up my duties and responsibilities I’m a live to the realities and the situation. However, my team in the ministry of finance and the larger economic sector and I will quickly determine a realistic and viable actions to address pressing economic issues,” he said.