By Hou Akot Hou
Members of the organized forces in Northern Bahr El Ghazal are joyful after starting to receive their delayed salaries, this week.
More exciting aspect to the soldiers is receiving their first improved pay, based on the 400% increment as per the 2023–2024 fiscal year budget.
The little increment in salaries improved the purchasing power of the soldiers as they excitedly stormed the market, purchasing commodities including food items and clothes.
Since Monday, many soldiers have been seen matching on the street, ululating, and expressing their excitement for the new salary scale payment.
One of the soldiers, John Gai, who was receiving 3,500 SSP as a non-commissioned officer, told this outlet on Tuesday that he knew he would be getting an improved salary scale.
Gai said a little difference could be seen with the new salary.
“I was getting 3,500 SSP, and now I have 65,000 SSP,” he said.
According to the soldiers, some of them were abandoned by their wives because they could not afford to make ends meet for their families.
However, Gai stressed that their efforts to liberate the country were not in vain.
He added that it is going to be incumbent on the government and military leadership to keep paying the soldiers an improved salary in order to keep their morale high and never get demoralized like before.
“Our efforts were not meant to frustrate us. We struggle to defend the sovereignty, and as a matter of fact, it has to be equally paid back in kind,” he urged.
Another soldier, Malual Dut, with a rank of major stationed at Wun-yiik Division 3 military headquarters, said his colleagues and he got excited, though long queues are frustrating others longing to receive their pay, adding they will get their share.
“It has been a long wait since the parliament approved it. It has come; though most of the civil servants have been paid in Aweil, we do hope they (soldiers) shall get theirs so that they struggle to pay for the children’s health bills,” he noted.
In Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, the majority of civil servants were taken aback as to why their payments were not executed.
Some people make mention of percentages to be added by the state’s government to their national budget to pay the employees in ministries like local government, education, and health, among others.
It remains to be seen when the salaries of civil servants will be released, just as other members of the police, prison services, and the rest of the organized forces have received their pay.