Salvatore Garang, Minister of Finance sited at the parliament following the heated debate about the 20192020 FY budget on June 20, 2019 Credit Joakino FrancisEye Radio

The parliament is likely to impeach the minister of finance and economic planning over what it called budgetary discipline, parliamentary committees tasked with scrutinizing of the financial and appropriation bills 2019/2020 have warned.

An appropriation bill, also known as supply bill or spending bill, is a proposed law that authorizes the expenditure of government funds. It is a bill that sets money aside for specific spending.

The legislature committees on legislation and legal affairs presented their report before the TNLA this morning.

They say they noted several anomalies, including lack of budgetary discipline by the ministry of finance, continued borrowing without the authority of the national legislature.

Other observations show that the ministry does not submit reports on loans, quarterly and bi-annually reports on budget expenditure.

It says the ministry also under-funds audit chamber and anti-corruption commission, leading to no audited accounts of the national budgets for the last three years.

“The committee recommends that the minister of finance should seriously commit himself and keep to the budget cycle,” said Hon. Deng-tiel Ayuen Kur, chairperson for the committee on legislation and legal affairs.

Meanwhile, a member of parliament says they are still expecting the minister of finance to fulfill the promises he made recently.

In June, MPs had demanded for an explanation why civil servants’ salaries had not been paid for several months.

But Salvatore Garang Mabiordit said he would clear the salary arrears soon.

“If he fails to meet the promise he made to the people of south Sudan, then I will tell the people of south Sudan that the minister is a liar,” stated Hon. Dharuai Mabor, who represents Rumbek at the national transitional legislative assembly.

“He’s not managing his family; he’s managing the people – different families. So, we cannot maintain such a person. He has to be taken to where liars are taken to. But now I’m not going to say he is a liar.”

The MPs passed the 2019\2020 fiscal year budget to third reading late on Wednesday afternoon.