The Government of Lakes State is yet to finalize its budget for the year 2011, a process that is running behind schedule.
Lakes State Assembly Speaker John Marik Makur told Good News Radio that the budget preparations are two months behind schedule, attributing the delay to problems that only the finance minister could explain.He added that the finance minister had just tabled the budget before the House and the MPs accepted the financial plan after its first reading.
Mr. Marik said the 2011 Lakes Budget was referred to the Committee of Economic, Development and Finance for reviewing, a process that may take two weeks.
The speaker explained that the budget income includes collection of local revenue and the grants from the Government of South Sudan.
Mr. Marik said the expenses are divided in salaries, operation costs, and capital expenditures by the executive and legislative organs of the government and the different government institutions, including the eight Counties of the State.
Good News Radio is yet to get in touch with the Minister for Finance to discuss the challenges his office faced, leading to the delay in the preparation of Lakes State budget.