THEJUBAMIRROR
JUBA…National members of parliament have received $15,000 dollars each as part of their medical allowances for this financial year.
John Agany Deng, the Chairperson of Information, Communication, Technology, and Postal Services in the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative confirmed to local media on Friday.
He says the 650 lawmakers from upper and lower houses including him were delivered the cash early this week by the Ministry of Finance and Planning.
According to Agany, each MP was supposed to get $50,000 dollars of the yearly medical allowance.
But the expansion of the parliament caused the reduction to just about $30,000 dollars per year.
Agany stated that the partial payment was made according to the law.
“It has already been given. Though it is not even complete it’s ok for those sick MPs they will go for medication. This is public money, there is nothing that people should shy away from, it’s something that is given by the law,” said Hon. Agany.
“Every year each should get $50,000 dollars per annual but sometimes when the assembly has over-expanded, the membership becomes greater than before, it has reduced to $30,000 dollars,
“Now they have been given $15,000 dollars which is not bad. If you are in the region, you can get better treatment, and unless you decided to go outside,
“In fact, it’s a good gesture for the government to do that because many MPs have died.”
Hon. Agany also said the support staff in the parliament received $2,500 dollars each.
The medical allowance came barely two weeks after the MPs passed the close to 1.4 trillion South Sudanese pounds budget for the year 2022/2023.
Previously, opposition politicians and human rights bodies criticized the legislators over such payment while the majority of citizens are suffering in the country.
Via: Eye Radio
