The government of Eastern Equatoria State in an extraordinary council of ministers meeting chaired by Governor Louis Lobong on Wednesday resolved to purchase 56 vehicles at the cost of USD 4 million.
The state’s information minister, Patrick Oting Cyprian, told the media after the meeting that the resolution will now be forwarded to the state parliament for deliberation and approval.
“The third agenda was a recommendation from the economic cluster regarding the purchase of 56 vehicles. It was presented by the minister of roads and bridges. The issue has been there for so long but…. today (Wednesday), this memo was passed by amendment, meaning what we have agreed as the council of ministers, the state government,” Minister Oting said.
“It was passed with amendments and will go to parliament where they will also deliberate so that they pass it so that the government finds ways of how to raise the money to buy these vehicles.” He added.
Minister Oting revealed that, according to their calculations, the 56 new vehicles will cost close to USD 4 million, delivered to the state.
For his part, civil society activist Oryema Emmanuel vehemently rejected the move by the executive to purchase vehicles at the expense of much-needed services by the local population in the state.
“I do not know where the powers of the executive come from to approve that amount of millions of dollars to purchase vehicles. I do not know where this budget will come from for purchasing the vehicles,” Oryema said. “Secondly, they have approved it so what is the need of taking it to the parliament?”
He said the state government recently purchased Toyota Probox vehicles for the ministers and wondered what they need more cars for.
“There is no accessibility, no good roads connecting the rural areas, no clean drinking water, no good health facilities,” Oryem castigated. “All that money should be used to deliver services to the people and not to purchase vehicles. How can you buy vehicles when there are no roads? Where will these vehicles move.”