Juba, SOUTH SUDAN
South Sudan's 400 Members
of Parliament have received $25,000 each for medical allowances and insurance,
causing public anger.
Critics have condemned the government for spending the money on MPs
rather than on development projects.
Andrew Okonj, a lawmaker representing Malakal South in the national
legislative assembly, told reporters today that legislators have each pocketed
$ 25,000 as a pay-out for medical allowances.
“All the national MPs have received the money. The money we received
last week is part of the medical allowances that accumulated for years, not
post-service benefits,” he said.
Dhoruai Mabor Teny, a lawmaker representing Rumbek East County,
confirmed that the legislators had received the money. “I can confirm that the
MPs have received 24,630 each. The money was released by the ministry of
finance,” he explained.
He added,” I think this is not a lot of money. We have enough money in
South Sudan but the big problem we are facing in the country is corruption. It
is the right of national MPs to get their allowances.”
According to Dhoruai, the lawmakers were paid in accordance with
Emoluments Act, 2008.
South Sudan’s MPs are among the poorest-paid in the East African region.
In July 2018, the national legislature received a bonus worth as much as
$16 million in the capital Juba. - Africa
No comments:
Post a Comment