The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) concluded a three-day capacity-building training on public financial institutions, state legislative assembly oversight function, and public investment in the Lakes State capital, Rumbek, on Friday.
The training was held under the theme “Budget workshop to strengthen parliamentary capacity for fiscal oversight in Lakes State” and brought together 50 participants, including state lawmakers, members of the executive, and finance officers from various state ministries.
Gabriel Garang Atem Ayiik, a national economist at UNDP, said it was a privilege to be in Rumbek to compare notes on the economic development in the country.
“UNDP has been committed over the years, since before independence,” he said. “We continue to invest in all aspects and in our space and in our unit. We deal with economic governance issues.”
He said this project is being financed by the African Development Bank to support the three areas of oversight function, statistical system development, and public investment, in a way to try to diversify economic resources away from oil money.
“We will continue to support this project as UNDP with the availability of resources to be able to continue to support revenue mobilization in this country,” Atem said. “This includes resource management, oversight function and coordination of the economic governance at all levels.”
Meanwhile, Dut Riak Marol, Director General at the Lakes State Ministry of Finance, said the capacity building exercise is very important and lauded UNDP.
“I have actually attended several events of this kind, and the knowledge that we got is actually helping us in our oversight roles, and it is strengthening the parliamentarians in doing their work, and they are very thankful,” he said. “Even if we know in South Sudan that we are battling with economic instability, we in the government and partners will not give up.”
“We encourage our partners to keep on strengthening financial institutions in South Sudan,” Riak added.
For his part, Ruben Mabor Bol, Chairperson of the Finance Specialized Committee in the Lakes State Legislative Assembly, thanked UNDP for conducting the workshop.
“The state finance ministry has been cooperating with UNDP for a long time, and we provide any information they need. Also, we do not want to create mistrust between the assembly and the state finance ministry,” he said.
On his part, Lakes State Deputy Governor Isaac Luka Manga said that the legislature, executive, and judiciary should work together to ensure good governance, checks and balances, and transformation of the government institutions for the better.
“I want to assure you that the Government of Lakes State under the leadership of Gen. Madhang Majok is sleepless in ensuring there is stability, peace, and unity of the communities up to the grassroots level,” he said. “If you believe in success and the knowledge you acquire, as I am seeing from the testimonies, this knowledge will make Lakes State great.”
He urged the participants to put the knowledge they acquired to use in their respective departments.
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