S Sudan opposition to govt: How will you repay debt?
The Alliance of Political Parties in South Sudan has demanded that the government explain how it will pay back money borrowed since independence.
Alliance Secretary Martin Aligo Abe challenged the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) party to state how the country will repay the debts it has accrued in the last three three years, accusing the government of poor economic planning.
“This careless borrowing is an indication of lack of planning, and the worst is yet to come especially that the government has placed a perpetual delaying of wages for the civil service,” he said in a Tuesday interview.
“I’m telling you that the worst is yet to come under this government. When a government delays paying salaries for its workers, it means the government has no money to pay its workers. All this has come because of lack of planning."
Abe said that if the government fails to pay back its debt, then the next government will have to shoulder the debt burden. He said the current economic conditions are an indication that the government lacks "proper leadership" and has "no direction."
“They inherited a promising economy but they failed to take it to greater heights. Instead, they have run down the economy,” he said.
“People are more poverty stricken now than they were before," Abe continued. "Also lack of accountability and this is why it has accrued huge debts. It has accrued huge debts, but the majority of the people are still wallowing in poverty. One is made to ask what the oil resources and all these loans have been used for.”
Photo: Finance minister designate David Deng Athorbei
Related:
South Sudan increases money supply (31 March)
South Sudan's budget is twice last year's oil earnings (30 March)
Kiir's office spends more than budget of an entire state (28 March)
Secrecy around South Sudan's dwindling central bank reserves (28 March)