‘Strong people’ seizing national budget, Finance Minister tells Parliament

2026-03-04 - 16:38

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) — The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Hon. Salvatore Garang, told Parliament on Wednesday that the national budget is frequently hijacked by “strong people” who seize public funds before they can be distributed to essential sectors. In an address to the National Parliament on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, during the second reading of the budget, Garang described a breakdown in accountability where the “law of nature” has replaced legal financial frameworks. “The problem is, the budget is put in the basket, and some strong people get the whole basket, take it all, and spend it. Then how do you expect the Ministry of Finance to distribute? There are things that we cannot control. If we go there, our heads will be knocked.” — Hon. Salvatore Garang. https://www.eyeradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/0503SBE01.mp3 The Minister warned lawmakers that the national economy remains dangerously tethered to oil, which accounts for nearly 90% of the budget. He noted that conflict in the Middle East directly threatens the flow of revenue. “When oil is delayed, revenue drops,” Garang explained. “The little we get, we give for security. Then there are the ‘lying’ ministries, like Education and Health. Sometimes when we try to distribute, the mother is blamed for not giving to others, yet these are our own children complaining.” While asserting that South Sudan is the “richest” nation in the East African Community (EAC) in terms of resources, the Minister attributed the current fiscal crisis to a lack of adherence to transparency and accountability laws. “To be frank, we are the richest... but because of the way we manage our financial affairs, we don’t stick to the financial regulations,” Garang stated. “If there is no accountability and transparency, what do you need? If you pay out of the budget, you are breaking the rules. You are taking money budgeted for other institutions and giving it to those who are not budgeted.” He further criticized the lack of discipline across government branches, noting that even Parliament members are sometimes forced to “beg for tickets” to travel. “Human beings are wild animals... the law is to instill fear into people, not to do the wrong thing. If you spare the rod, you spare the child, because the child will become notorious. We must join hands to do the right thing.” Addressing the delay in payments to civil servants, Garang reaffirmed that his primary promise to the President was to prioritize salaries. He argued that civil servants, rather than politicians, are the backbone of the country and support the majority of the population. “If you don’t pay them for the whole year, it is the starvation of a good number of people staying in the houses of their relatives,” he said. He urged the Assembly to campaign for food security, noting that “you cannot get prosperity without food security.” The Minister concluded by urging the Assembly to expedite the 2026-2027 budget to align with East African Community standards, which require budget completion by June. He warned that the current disparity in budget cycles creates opportunities for corruption. “No body is above the law. All of us are under the law,” Garang said, calling for the Auditor General to audit the Ministry of Finance like any other institution. “The only way to save the law is to stick to the rules.”