By William Madouk
Central Equatoria State transitional legislative assembly lawmakers will soon receive substantial paychecks for unpaid salaries, two-month arrears, and a portion of their allowances.
Hon. Isaac Aloro, the chairperson of parliament’s peace and security committee and who was acting speaker said he met with Governor Emmanuel Adil over the outstanding debts of MPs and constitutional post holders.
“We have gone to almost three months without a moment of salary plus two months of arrears. This we brought to the attention of H.E. the Governor, and in attendance were the Deputy Governor, the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, and the Acting Minister of Finance,” Mr. Aloro announced to MPs.
“We also brought to the attention of the Governor the need for the medical allowance of the honourable members to be paid because, as it was raised in the ad hoc session, we need to be paid,” he added.
He also said they have discussed the arrears of the 30%, which amounted to eight months not being cleared.
“On the issue of medical allowance, H.E. also expressed his sympathy to honourable members for the long span without being given this money, which is your right by law,” he noted.
“He (Adil) also directed the Honourable Minister of Finance to really mobilize resources in the best possible time so that these financial claims are addressed in the manner of priority and urgency,” he continued.
MP Aloro said they also brought to the attention of the governor the issue of the three-month recess, but Mr Adil reiterated that before MPs break for recess, it is important that a supplementary budget be passed.
He added that the state government will have an extraordinary sitting on Friday to deliberate on the performance report presented by the Minister of Finance to allow the finance docket to present it to the assembly.
“H.E. (Adil) promised that as the Minister of Finance will be mobilizing resources, there will be a deposit of instalments to the Assembly account for recess programmes,” Aloro stressed.
The acting speaker also said Adil told him that the delay in salary payments was because of the transfers that come from the National Government directing that all civil servants will be paid with a 300% increase.
“As soon as the Minister updates him on the mobilization of the resources, he will be able to settle some of these arrears and 30% emoluments with time. So, let us be patient,” appealed Aloro.
“He [the governor] knows the dire condition we are going through, and he will really look into issues related to this,” he noted.