15/10/2024
The Minister of Finance has committed to clearing civil servant salary arrears within the next three months.
Finance Minister, Dr Marial Dongrin Ater, yesterday briefed the management of the Parliamentary Service Commission in the National Legislative Assembly regarding the delayed payments.
During the meeting, the legislators directed the Minister to settle all unpaid arrears for civil servants and the organized forces, covering all outstanding months.
Head of the Parliamentary Service Commission, Stephen Ajongo Akol, speaking to national broadcaster SSBC after the closed-door meeting emphasized that civil servants and organized forces have endured over 10 months without receiving their salaries.
Ajongo stated that the Minister of Finance committed to clearing the arrears within three months.
“Our country is facing an economic crisis, and everyone is aware of the challenges we’ve been through," he said, "However, the minister is working hard and has assured us that, within the next three months, as conditions improve, the salary arrears will be cleared. People have now gone over 10 months without salaries, and the minister has also promised that, if necessary, a supplementary budget will be introduced to address this issue as we move forward.”
Meanwhile, staff at the University of Barh el-Ghazal University in Wau have gone on strike, becoming the latest institution of higher learning to announce industrial action protesting the non-payment of salaries.
The academic and non-academic staff have declared that they will not return to work until their 11-month salary arrears, dating back to December 2023, are fully paid.
The staff are also demanding the immediate settlement of outstanding flight ticket allowances from 2019 date, as well as medical allowances for the same period.
Yesterday, the non-academic staff of Rumbek University of Science and Technology went on strike over unpaid salary arrears.
Pictures: UGC
