Nine billion Pounds missing from eastern Sudan state treasury

Sudan’s auditor-general reported a large number of financial irregularities and embezzlement cases in El Gedaref. Shop keepers in the eastern Sudanese state will keep their doors closed on Thursday in protest against increased taxes.

In a report released on Tuesday, the auditor-general stated that the total of “irregularities and thefts of public money” in the eastern Sudanese state last year reached SDG 9 billion (*$320 million).

According to the report explained that Abdallah Suleiman, the federal Minister of Agriculture, Mirghani Saleh, Governor of El Gedaref, the state’s Minister of Social Welfare, and a number of commissioners have illegally spent funds amounting to SDG 390 million.

The report further pointed to irregularities in the Zakat [Islamic Alms] Department, the Endowment Authority, the Investment Commission, and a number of state localities.

Increased taxes

The El Gedaref Chambers of Commerce have announced a strike in protest against the large increase in taxes on the shops.

A trader told Radio Dabanga from El Gedaref town that the license fee has risen to more than SDG 2,000 ($28). “The garbage fees jumped from SDG 54 to a ridiculous SDG 900.”

He said that all shops, except bakeries, pharmacies, and slaughterhouses, will keep their doors closed on Thursday.

* Based on the indicative US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS)