The members of the Western Equatoria State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday broke off for a three-month recess.
Speaking during the closing ceremony, Speaker Wakile Charles said the lawmakers have spent long without going for recess and managed to pass some bills and other regulations of the House despite some challenges.
“I would like to appreciate the efforts exerted by members of this August House in the past period without recess. Congratulations to them for their respect and their representativeness in carrying out their duties,” the speaker said. “Besides all the challenges, the House was able to revise the Conduct of Business Regulations, form the Assembly Business Committees, passed Western Equatoria Policy Statement, form the Assembly Counties Caucuses, conduct 38 committee sittings, conduct 67 assembly ordinary sittings, passed 33 resolutions, passed 6 Speaker orders and passed 3 bills.”
Speaker Wakile enumerated the challenges as; insufficient staff to run the assembly’s secretariat, nonpayment of operation costa to the House, lack of service for the vehicles of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, and lack of transport for chairpersons and parliamentary administration among others.
“The way forward is the deployment of staff to the assembly’s secretariat, consideration from the executive to pay the assembly operation costs to facilitate its work, availing transport facilities to the committee chairpersons and secretariat leadership, and request for a bus to transport members of parliament,” she stated.
Meanwhile, the Western Equatoria State Governor Gen. Alfed Futuyo said the legislators should make use of the little resources available to work with the community.
“You were supposed to have gone for recess three times now but are going only once,” he said. “You are going to be among our citizens so talk to them and listen to their challenges. Also, we should share the little we have with the people.”
The executive released SSP 50 million to the parliament to cater for the lawmakers’ recess.