Logo for the South Sudan National Audit Chamber - courtesy image

The Transitional National Legislative Assembly has passed the Audit Chamber Amendment Bill in its second reading, paving the way for its final approval.

The bill seeks to rename the current act from the “Southern Sudan Audit Chamber” to the “National Audit Chamber” and introduces additional responsibilities to strengthen the institution’s oversight of financial reports.

According to Justin Joseph Marona, the Chairperson of the Specialized Committee on Public Accounts, the bill aims to empower the chamber to exercise stronger oversight and ensure transparency in government financial reporting.

“By strengthening the National Audit Chamber with the amendment legal framework is one step toward the right direction. In light on the above, I hereby humbly request the August House to deliberate and pass this report of the joint committee on “Southern Sudan Audit Chamber Act, 2011(amendment) Bill, 2022 from second reading stage to third and final reading stages,” he said during the reading.

The 2022 Amendment Bill is among several legal reforms drafted by the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC), in line with the Revitalized Peace Agreement.

It aims to reinforce the independence of the Audit Chamber and promote accountability in public financial management, as outlined in Article 4.5 of the peace deal.

Justin Joseph Marona presented the amendment bill during the parliamentary sitting on Wednesday.

After a brief debate, lawmakers unanimously passed the bill to move to the third and final reading.

Parliament Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba announced the outcome of the vote.

“We have passed the bill from the second to third and the committee is now tasked to go and finalized the observation and recommendation made here and then present at the third reading,” she announced.

The bill had earlier introduced a new Chapter 10, section A, which sparked differing views between the National Audit Chamber and the National Constitutional Amendment Committee.