(L) Hon. Janet Aya, Central Equatoria State Minister of Finance, Planning, and Investment with (R) Rt. Hon. Taban Emmanuel Baya, the Speaker of Central Equatoria State Transitional Legislative Assembly (CES-TLA) pose for a photo during handing of the State Draft Budget for the Fiscal year 2026-2027. Photo Credit: Emmanuel Kayanga

By Emmanuel Kayanga | Juba | 14th – Sept – 2026.

The Minister of Finance, Planning and Investment for Central Equatoria State has handed the State proposed fiscal budget for the 2026-2027 financial year which stands at 108.2 billion South Sudanese Pounds, to the Speaker of the State Legislative Transitional Assembly for required parliamentary procedures for it to be tabled to the Assembly Business Committee (ABC) before it is finally presented to the August House for further scrutiny and deliberations.

Speaking after handing over the draft estimates to the Speaker of the Central Equatoria State Legislative Assembly today, Minister Janet Aya says the budget prioritize security, health, education and agriculture. Aya notes that the budget will be generated from the 30% transfers from the national government, state-owned taxes and local revenue collection.

“What we have witnessed before is presenting the budget to the Speaker. Then the Speaker will call the Assembly Business Committee (ABC) to sit, and then later on call the House for the first reading, which I will be invited officially to come and present the budget to the August House. So today is just a tradition of handing over the draft budget to the Speaker,” explained Aya.

The Minister also clarified that the tabling of the budget was delayed because the national budget was only tabled to national parliament last week, and state allocations depend on those transfers from the national fiscal budget.

“The national budget actually has just last week been tabled to the national parliament, and we drive also other allocations from that budget. So, that’s why this came a little bit late. But as the speaker says, it is better late than never” added the Minister.

Meanwhile the Speaker of Central Equatoria State Transitional Legislative Assembly, Rt. Hon. Taban Emmanuel Baya, describes the budget as a contract between government and the people which must prioritize peace and security, health, education, roads, agriculture and service delivery at the grassroots level.

The Speaker explains that after receiving the budget, it will be tabled next week to the members of Parliament for scrutiny, debate, and necessary parliamentary procedures in its first reading, then sent to relevant committees for scrutiny, before returning to the House for approval.

“The budget will be tabled in the House for the first reading, which will be announced to you Honorable Members and to the Executive so that we can congregate together so that we attend the first reading. Thereafter, these budget estimates will go to the relevant committee for scrutiny,” said Rt. Hon.Baya.

He assures the Executive that the House will handle the budget with speed but without compromising scrutiny and accountability, and called for realistic revenue projections and implementation of services to the people.

“A budget that is not implemented is just a paper. Let us see boreholes drilled, drugs in hospitals, teachers paid and are in schools, and roads opened and are used by our people,” said the Speaker.

He also demanded quarterly budget performance reports for the Parliament to review services offered for transparency and accountability.

“We will be asking for quarterly budget performance reports, which is a legal requirement, must be submitted to the House as required by law, so that we really see quality services that our people deserve to get,” added the Speaker

The State parliament spokesperson describes that the handing of the draft budget marks important steps towards strengthening the financial management, accountability, and effective implementation of the State government’s development priorities.