Central Equatoria State Legislative Assembly Speaker on Tuesday criticized National Legislative Assembly and Council of States for breaking constitutional requirement to pass national budget by June 30 every financial year for effecting new financial year on July 1.
Naphtali Hassan Gale told the seventh Speakers’ Forum that contravention of the Constitution at National Assembly interferes with state affairs.
He added that states’ waiting for National Finance Ministry’s sealing of budget beyond June 30 causes recurrent law contraventions at all levels.
Speaker Hassan called for immediate amendments to avoid silent deliberate law breaking as if lawmakers were not reading or interpreting the Constitution.
He echoed that some states including his own are not comfortable with continuous contraventions and interferences from the national government.
The national legislature approved 2014/2015 budget on August 13 contrary to provisions in 2011 Transitional Constitution of South Sudan.
The national government attributed the delay of the budget to crisis in the country.