Lawmaker Samuel Aban representing Makal County in Upper Nile State. | Photo: Obaj Okuj/Eye Radio

A member of the national parliament has called for accountability of the previous financial year as the Minister of Finance and Planning is expected to table the Budget for 2023/2024 on Tuesday.

Legislator Samuel Aban, from Makal Constituency stated that, the government’s annual budget for the previous year was not fully implemented.

He appealed to the August House to question Minister, Dier Tong before he tables the upcoming annual budget.

Honorable Aban emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in the government’s management of public funds.

Aban, who spoke at the deliberation of the National Public Health Institute Bill on Monday, did not cited any specific provisions from the past budgets.

“The information is that, the August-House will receive tomorrow an additionally empty promise from ministry of finance,” Aban said while addressing the house.

“This come as we enter the fiscal year 2023-2024 without implementing some chapters of the previous year 2022-23.”

Responding to the concerns, the speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, Jimma Nunu Kumba directed the lawmaker to ask Minister Dier Tong about the issue before his presentation on Tuesday, June 20.

In June last year, the Council of Ministers passed a budget of 1.3 trillion South Sudanese Pounds for the fiscal year 2022/2023, with a financial gap of SSP558 billion.

Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth, said the 2022 budget priorities were the implementation of the peace agreement, agriculture and roads.

But there has not been an update about the budget spending.