CEPO Director Edmund Yakani | Photo: Awan Moses/Eye Radio.

An activist has added his voice to the appeal of a state welfare organization for the allocation of 1% of the national budget for the year 2023-2024 to address the needs of persons with disabilities.

On Friday, the Chairlady of the Union of Physically Disabled in Central Equatoria State called on the government to channel the amount to the empowerment of persons with disabilities.

Elizabeth Nicolas said the disabled are equally South Sudanese citizens, adding that there is a need to allocate for their budget to enable them to access education and contribute to nation-building.

Ms. Nicholas was reacting to the presentation of the 2.2 trillion pounds draft budget in parliament by the Minister of Finance, Dier Tong.

The 2023-2024 fiscal budget prioritizes peacebuilding, salaries, and macroeconomic stabilization, and allocates funds for infrastructural projects.

It also proposed an increment of salaries of civil servants and members of the organized forces by 4oo percent, among others.

However, it made no particular mention of the empowerment of people with special needs.

Commenting on the appeal, Edmond Yakani, the Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization says, and I quote.

“CEPO is adding its voice to the call made by the Union of Physically Disabled in Central Equatoria for the allocation of 1% of the national budget for the year 2023-2024 to cater to the needs of persons with disabilities,” he said in a press statement.

The Civil Society Activist revealed the acceptance of 2% affirmative action for persons with disabilities participate in the forthcoming national general elections.

Yakani added the exclusion of persons with disabilities from budgeting and governance institutions makes them the most marginalized in South Sudan.