South Sudan govt to start paying 4 months’ salary arrears

South Sudan Public Seevice Minister Joseph Bangasi Bakasoro (File photo)

The minister of public service on Thursday revealed that the government is going to start paying civil servants’ salary arrears that have accumulated over the last four months.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, Minster Joseph Bangasi Bakasoro said payment of salaries was delayed because the government is carrying out “robust reforms” and introducing a biometric identification system for the payment of salaries.

“The salaries for the civil servants have indeed been delayed because we as government are doing what is called robust reforms in paying the salaries,” he explained. “However, as of today (Thursday), we are starting the payments and it might take time but we need to get the right people into the system to avoid corruption loopholes.”

The minister said the salary arrears will include the recent 400 percent salary increment that the Transitional Legislative Assembly (TNLA) passed in the 2023/24 fiscal budget.

“The government is paying the salaries with the increased 400 percent salary in the July-August payroll,” Bakasoro stated. “So, the civil servants should be patient with us as we remove the ghost names from the new system.” 

Last week, several civil servants in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State complained about salary delays and warned that it has led to the poor performance of government institutions.

Last month, National Finance Minister Bak Barnaba Chol attributed the delay in paying civil servants’ salaries to the adoption of a biometric system and adjustment of the payroll to the new salary structure.

In August, the TNLA passed an SSP 2 trillion 2023/2024 budget with a 400 percent increment in salaries and wages for civil servants and organized forces.