Parliamentary sitting. (Photo: Jemma Nunu/Facebook).

The national parliament has questioned why civil servants’ salaries remain unpaid for nearly one year while the country collected nearly one billion US dollars in oil and non-oil revenue in the last financial year.

First Deputy Speaker Oyet Nathaniel made the remarks on Monday after last week’s closed-door sitting which he said revealed that civil servants and organized forces should be able to receive their salaries.

Oyet said the South Sudan Revenue Authority collected more than enough non-oil revenues that was submitted to the government in the last financial year.

According to him, millions of dollars were also generated from oil productions in Unity State’s Thar-Jiath Block which produces the expensive Nile Blend.

Nathaniel emphasized that the non-payment of salaries is a major concern for the legislature.

“We have realized that the country has enough resources from the non-oil revenue. SSRA managed to collect and met the target with surplus. The target was 240 billion SSP and they collected 366 billion for the financial year 2023/2024,” he said.

“For the oil revenue, the oil in Tharjiath in Unity state is still flowing giving the country 30,000 barrels per day. If you add the non-oil and oil revenue, you will get 777.6 million that is approved to the government.”

“The country continues to go without salaries, operations, service and this is a concern which has been raised in parliament.”

The deputy speaker also questioned the stalled road infrastructures which he said has no proper accountability provided by the government to the public.

Oyet underscores that with all the resources, the government should have managed paying civil servants and rendered continuous operations.

“The government should be able to meet salaries and operations. Now, even money for road, where are the roads being constructed? You don’t see it. So, we are asking, what is really going on?”