Parliament has asked government to pin South Sudan to pay Ugandan traders who made supplies to them.

Government had pledged to pay traders but budgetary constraints have left the treasury without option.

Minister of finance and economic planning Matia Kasaija told the house on Thursday that government can not raise the money to compensate traders.

Kasaija said: “I would also like to inform the House that while we are desirous of compensating Ugandan Traders in South Sudan.”

The minister revealed: “We should also be mindful that the Gov’t of Uganda owes Ugandan businesses approximately shs3 trillion in unpaid domestic arrears.”

However, Speaker Rebecca Kadaga urged: “I don’t know why the govt has not taken up the idea of asking the South Sudan govt to contribute this money. We want a report on this in 10 days.”

Government chief whip Ann Maria Nankabirwa told the house that traders supplied the govt of South Sudan and not Uganda.

Nankabirwa said: “The south Sudanese govt verified the traders for payment and these should have been paid. There is no need for Uganda to carry out another verification.”