By Philip Buda Ladu
The Council of Ministers has approved and ratified a work plan worth 2.7 billion South Sudanese Pounds (SSP) presented by the Minister for Peace Building to disseminate peace agreement for citizens across the country and in the diaspora.
Information Minister and Government Spokesperson, Michael Makuei Lueth told reporters on Friday after Cabinet’s meeting.
He said that, the presented program and work plan was appreciated by the Council of Ministers.
The Minister stated that the peace work plan is designed to reach most South Sudanese citizens both at home and those living in the diaspora as refugees and asylum seekers.
“The work plan included visiting of all the States and the three Administrative Areas, going to the refugees to the displaced and refugee camps and even visiting the other countries in the diaspora where there is a sizable number of South Sudanese so that they can understand the progress being made in the implementation of the agreement and the way forward,” Makuei told reporters.
“This plan for the dissemination is approximated to be costing about two billion seven hundred forty-six million four hundred forty-nine thousand nine hundred fifty-nine (2,746,449,959) South Sudanese Pounds,” he added.
Makuei said that the aforementioned budget is inclusive of the amount which was already budgeted for peace in the country.
He stated that, Minister for Peace is asking that the money should be released from that budget and be used for the dissemination of the agreement in the concerned areas.
The official government spokesperson reiterated that, after the report on the peace outreach work plan that it was highly appreciated, approved and passed by the cabinet.
In March during the 2021/2022 passing of the parliamentary budget, scrutiny committee directed the Ministry of Finance and Planning to release the budgeted funds to the Ministry of Peace Building for the implementation of peace activities in the country.
The Ministry of Peace Building was allocated 179 million South Sudanese Pounds as part of the parliamentary budget scrutiny committee adjustments to the draft budget earlier presented to the parliament by the Minister of Finance and Planning.