Activist calls for security budget auditing

The Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmund Yakani, has called on the ministry of finance to audit the SSP43.4 billion allocated to the security sector.

Yakani argued that since the budget was for the 2021-2022 financial year, part of it must have been used and that the remaining part of the budget should strictly be apportioned to security arrangements.

He said auditing of the budget must be prioritised so that the level of malpractices or transparency can be known in regard to the spending of this budget.

“Obviously, the minister of finance, when he was presenting the budget to the parliament, said this time they cut down the budget for national security with 35 per cent below usual national security budget, ” he said.

“But still, of course, this amount of money he mentioned still represents a junk of money, and it is a period where the lifespan of the Revitalised Agreement is coming to an end on February 23, 2023. This amount of money will meet the milestone of the peace agreement, within a period of two years,” he said.

“My point is that if the money is there, it should be used for the transitional security arrangement. If the money is not there, let the national auditor audit how the money was used before the budget is passed to ensure the level of malpractices and transparency is known before the budget is used,” Yakani stated.

Yakani reiterated that the members of parliament must scrutinise the figure and what it is meant to be used for.

“I think that this money should be customised on the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement. So, I will urge the parliamentarians to scrutinise this figure, what is it really is for,” he stated.

“It should be clarified if it is meant to meet the priorities of the Transitional Security Arrangement, in the agreement. So, to me, this amount of money is still a disturbing figure. We wish it could be cut down so that it amounts to a level that it can be something reasonable.”

Budget presented

On Wednesday, the budget was presented to the national assembly by the Minister for Finance and Planning, Agak Achuil Lual, allocating 43.4 billion to the security sector, which represents 15.1 per cent of the total budget.

This was a reduction of 34.9 per cent of the budget in the 2021/2022 financial year compared to the previous years, where nearly 50 per cent was allocated to the sector.

Logistical gaps                                           

Last month, the Chairman of the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM), Teshome Gemechu Aderie, said logistical issues were dragging the security arrangements, basically, the graduation of forces.

Teshome noted remarkable progress in the screening of forces but cited a lack of food and medicine in the cantonment sites.

“Since the last CTC, the very dire situation at the cantonment sites continues with a lack of food and medicine. Further, there were reported clashes between SSPDF and SPLM/A-IO from January 9 through 13 at Liang, Mirmir, and Turow cantonment sites, which you will be briefed on,” Teshome said.

“Regarding the training centres, CTSAMVM has observed positive progress with screening undertaken by the regional committees of the JDB responsible for assessing the situation in training centres in order to start processing the forces for graduation. However, the logistical concerns raised at previous CTCs remain because most training centres report a serious lack of food, shelter, and other essential services. “

He said there were continued attacks by National Salvation Front (NAS) forces in Central Equatoria State adding that CTSAMVM was bound to investigate.

“Since the last CTC, there have been several incidents allegedly involving NAS forces in Central Equatoria. We are investigating these incidents, and you will be briefed on these incidents,” he stated.

“We acknowledge the efforts of the community of Sant’Egidio to work with CTSAMVM, RJMEC, IGAD, and SSOA to resume the Rome process.”

The violations included the clashes in Upper Nile, alleged killing of an SPLM/A-IO officer in Eastern Equatoria State, assault on CTSAMVM National Monitor in Western Equatoria State, deployment of SSPDF forces in Baggari, Western Equatoria State, the status of division 11 of SSPDF, recruitment and training by party signatories and alleged NAS incidents.

The TGoNU senior representative, Maj Gen Gatwech Duop, called for signatories to the agreement to prioritise peace through the implementation of the agreement. Duop said South Sudanese should solve their problems by themselves and appealed for the inclusion of NAS in the ceasefire monitoring.

The representative of SPLM/A-IO Maj Gen Andrea Mangu was concerned about child abduction, forced recruitment, forced marriage, and other similar issues in Yambio and the deployment of the Wau-Bagari road.

He urged CTSAMVM to hold meetings without spending a long time on them, adding that they supported peace.

The representative of SSOA, Brig-Gen Samuel Shan, said flooding and lack of food in the training centres resulted in the slow pace for the graduation of forces.

He called for urgent attention to those needs to expedite the process of the graduation of forces.

FD representative, Simon Maker Mading, accused parties of the agreement of occupying areas inhibited by civilians causing them insecurity.