Authorities in the disputed Abyei Administrative Area said this week that public services will be affected by a budget shortfall, projecting that several projects will need to be canceled.

Monyluak Kuol, director-general of finance in the administrative area said the South Sudan national government approved a budget for Abyei of 29 million SSP for the next financial year, which he said was not enough.

He added that 90% of this budget goes to the salaries of teachers and other officials and the remaining is for operation costs.

Kuol stressed that the lack of budget exacerbates the scarcity of basic services in the area. The director-general of Abyei’s Ministry of Education, Victor Bol Dau, said a lack of basic equipment like chairs and tables meant pupils had to take lessons sitting on the ground under trees.

He added that a lack of money was also preventing teachers being sent for training.

The medical director for Abyei hospitals, Dr Ayom Korcheck, said there was a shortage of equipment that medical staff needed for their everyday work. NGOs were helping, but there was still a big gap in finances.

Reporting by Abyei Today