National, News

SPLM stern on salary, revenue

By Bosco Bush

 

A high-level closed-door meeting, of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) chaired by President Salva Kiir, has enacted strict measures for the immediate payment of delayed civil servant salaries and improved management of revenue collection.

This follows the recent announcement of resumed crude oil flow to the international market, which accounts for over 90 percent of the country’s national revenue.

The meeting, held on Thursday at the SPLM House, came just two days after a similar gathering by the Economic Cluster, chaired by Vice President Dr. James Wani Igga, who is also the SPLM’s First Deputy Chairperson.

In statements to the state-owned broadcaster SSBC, SPLM Secretary-General Peter Lam Both said the main agenda of the meeting was to endorse the recommendations from the previous SPLM meeting.

Following this, President Kiir issued directives for the timely payment of salaries and enhanced revenue management strategies.

“The main purpose of today’s [Thursday] meeting is to endorse the recommendations of the meeting of last Tuesday by the economic sector, and the main agenda is that, the chairman has given strict directives to the party and all the cadres that are working in the government,” said Peter Lam Both.

“Number one, the salaries of South Sudanese people must immediately be found and be paid to them,” he added.

“Number two, the collection of revenues, especially non-oil revenues, must be done in accordance with the law, that no one is above the law. Tax exemptions that have been applied illegally must immediately be stopped forth with,” he said.

Lam hinted that all the directives and other orders that have been made by the SPLM chairman during the meeting would be implemented with immediate effect, adding that, the SPLM party despite ongoing challenges has taken the issue seriously to give the rights of the people.

“The meeting has also given directive on the management of the petroleum resources, that all the resources that are designated for infrastructure will have to be supervised,” he stated.

“The rest of the resources, oil revenue resources from Block 3 and 7 will have to be used for salaries and for government operations,” he said.
These, he said, are clear directives and cadres will be called back next week to communicate these serious orders.

Civil servants and members of the organized forces across the country have not received their salaries for approximately a year – as the country battles with steep inflation and depreciation of the local currency.

The economic meltdown has been attributed to a number of obstacles particularly, the shutdown of oil flow due to rapture of transportation pipelines caused by the war in Sudan.

Oil flow resumes

This week, Ministry of Petroleum (MOP) announced the resumption of oil production in Blocks 3 and 7 after Sudan lifted the force Majeure.

“The Ministry of Petroleum and Partners would like to declare that the kick-off date for DPOC resumption is as early as tomorrow (Wednesday). This is basically to say our D-Day that we have been waiting for is the 8th of January 2025,” Minister Puot Kang Chol announced.

The minister revealed that the oil resumption will start with 90,000 barrels per day with the hope of realizing its full capacity in the near future.

“Our target is 90,000 barrels a day. This is what the pipeline will accommodate in the first phase. And then thereafter, if we have the capacity to increase more than that, we shall do so,” he explained.

The success of oil resumption, Kang said, came following the resolution of pipeline and security concerns and the lifting of force majeure by Sudan.

He added that the resumption may improve the country’s ailing economy.

Contrasting views

The resolutions of the SPLM party have triggered criticism from other stakeholders in the coalition government – pointing that, the decisions are potentially contrary to the laws and the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity [RTGoNU].

First Deputy Speaker of the National Legislative Assembly, Hon. Oyet Nathaniel who doubles as Deputy Chairperson of the Sudan People Liberation Movement-In Opposition [SPLM-IO] exclaimed that it’s a “disturbing development and deliberate attempt to undermine the institutions of RTGoNU.”

In a Facebook post, Hon. Oyet sated that salary payment, financial and economic management are matters of law and public administration, not party-based decisions.

“Bank of South Sudan is by law an independent institution; the ministry of finance is the Treasury of government they cannot account to any Party but to the public through relevant institutions such as Parliament,” he said.
“I am sure, even within party constitutions there are no provisions to summon government officials to party meetings to discuss tax collection at the national borders,” he added.

He likened the move to a One-Party State rather than a Multi-Party System. In a One-Party State, decision-making is centralized within the ruling party, with little to no separation of powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. This often leads to decisions being imposed on the populace without proper consultation or democratic processes.

In contrast, a Multi-Party System, typically found in Republics, operates under a framework of checks and balances.

Decisions regarding government functions are subject to rigorous debate and deliberation within institutions such as the Presidency, the Council of Ministers, and the National Parliament.

This ensures that policies are formulated through a more inclusive and democratic process, with the ultimate goal of serving the best interests of the people.

“How can the government implement resolutions of a political party since they have no force of law or governmental policy?” he questioned.

He, however, warned that “this is a dangerous and unacceptable trajectory aimed at undermining the Government of National Unity and entrenching a One-Party System.”

 

 

Comments are closed.