MP: Gov’t collected SSP 1.7 trillion extra in 2024-2025 budget but salaries unpaid

2026-03-05 - 11:47

A lawmaker has questioned why civil servants and security forces were not paid despite the Ministry of Finance collecting SSP 1.7 trillion more than budgeted in the 2024–2025 budget. Michael Ayuen, the Chairperson of the Committee on Finance and Planning in parliament, said the Minister of Finance did not disclose the actual revenue collected in 2024–2025 during his budget speech. Ayuen said the committee found that the Ministry collected about SSP 1.7 trillion more than what was planned. He said this raises questions about why the salaries for civil servants and armed forces were not paid. “The Minister of Finance and Planning did not report the actual revenue collected for the financial year 2024–2025 during his budget speech to the Transitional National Legislature,” he said while speaking at the second reading of the 2025–2026 budget on Thursday. “The Committee found that the Ministry collected about SSP 1.7 trillion more than what was projected. This raises a serious question: why is the Ministry still unable to pay wages and salaries to civil servants and the organised forces?” he questioned. The Finance Committee says the failure to pay salaries raises serious concerns about government financial management and transparency.