Activist blasts politicians as ‘irresponsible’ over damning NAC report

JUBA – A Juba-based activist has described recent report of the South Sudan National Audit Chamber which revealed illegal appropriation of $50 million by the country’s financial bodies as an economic suicide.

The report released by released last week say over $50 million, part of 2% and 3% shares meant to be paid to oil-producing states, were disbursed to business entities and individuals accounts for unknown reasons.

According to the petroleum management act, 2 % of net oil revenue goes to the producing state while 3% is for development projects in the producing communities.

The damning report said oil producing states of Ruweng, Upper Nile and Unity have been deprived of a sum of 50 million dollars from 2011 to 2020.

The entities include the office of the president $1,300,000 million, South Sudan Supreme Airline $ 4,130,000, and Equity Bank $4,000,000.

“This report of Audit General on the use of 2% and 3% of oil revenue that is supposed to go to states is disturbing, is an heart attack and economic suicide and is a clear definition that our politicians are irresponsible, they don’t care about what goes to our communities,” Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) told Sudans Post yesterday.

Yakani called on the office of the President and South Sudan Anti-corruption Commission to respond to the report.

“I condemned those who looted that money and I urged the Anti-corruption Commission and office of the President to respond to the finding of the audit general,” he told a reporter of Sudans Post in an interview in Juba.

“We have been saying on several occasions that there is an environmental impact on our communities and we thought there was no money but now with this audit report we have seen there is money but embezzled by our politicians’ figures who are supposed to help our communities,” he said.

The outspoken activist said the report shows the level of corruption the country has reached.

“These issues are really disturbing and they are so badly demonstrating the level of corruption we have reached as a country,” he disclosed.