National MP Juol Nhomngek. (Courtesy).

A member of parliament has called for an audit on the expenditure of medical allowances paid to parliamentarians last year.

In October 2022, each of the 650 members of parliament received 15,000 US dollars as medical allowance.

The allowances for the National Legislature and the Council of States amount to a total of USD 9,750,000.

Juol Nhomngek, who represents Cuibet County in the transitional national parliament has accused the assembly of providing a similar amount to some private employees.

Speaking to journalists in Juba on Thursday, Nhomngek said he is being investigated for disclosing affairs of the parliament.

“The money that was brought for medication was being paid to these private employees and if this is not true, then the expenditure on medication should be audited,” he said.

“I was questioning the Speaker why we are not taking seriously the issue of salaries of civil servants and members of the organized forces. It is not appropriate to make laws for MPs to take money at night because we have evidence.”

Nhomngek claims that the money which is equivalent to the total medical allowance budgets, was given to a private company sweeping the parliament.

“I have been questioning that company which is sweeping in this parliament, the owner is not known, and I was saying if the owner is not known, then it is for the Speaker. The speaker has to explain”.

When contacted on the matter, parliamentary spokesperson John Agany describes the issues as administrative.

He also says the Speaker has no connection with the finances of the house.

“You know all those issues are administrative, which my office has no concern about. The right honorable speaker has no connection at all with the finances”.