By Yiep Joseph
Government workforce, that comprises organized forces and civil servants are in distress on receiving only January 2024 salaries, few days into a new year.
As the country battles economic crisis, salary payment continues to be like a government privilege to the people, rather than a responsibility to compensate workforce in time.
Recently, parliamentarians went for recess with no salaries, a move that triggers a question on whether the executive got paid or not, since there was not clear information on that matter.
With just a week to a new year, 2025, some of the organized forces and civil servants continue to line up in order to receive January 2024 salaries.
In an exclusive interview with this outlet, Kuer Awang, one of the civil servants, expressed disappointment over delayed salaries, citing that it shows failure by the government to meet its role.
“It is something that I do not know what to say; we received salaries for January (2024), and some of us have gone for Christmas with no salaries while others are now receiving theirs. God knows what they are doing to their families,” Awang said.
“We are already in Christmas and some of us have not yet received salary. Maybe, we shall buy something for New Year in case we receive it this week,” he said.
He expressed that due to high commodity prices, government employees continue to suffer regardless of the release of one month salary.
“This one-month’s salary is nothing in the current markets; if I go to the market now, I get confused about what to buy and what to leave since the money becomes small and I cannot buy food for the house,” he said.
Awang urged the government to pay the remaining months in order to motivate the government workforce.
“I called on our government to clear at least six months or all the remaining months up to December so that we start salary of 2025 as a new chapter” he said.
On her part, Nyanuer Lam expressed that after receiving the one-month salaries, she was confused as children were demanding Christmas clothes, and the house lacked food to eat.
“I was demanding more than 10 months from the government to pay, but when I received only one month’s salary, I was confused since it is Christmas, my children are crying for clothes, and we have no food in the house,” Lam said.
“I thought the government was going to pay us at least six or more months so that we are motivated and work harder next year,” she added.
She called on the government to prioritize salary payment for its workforce by clearing the remaining months.
Lam urged the government to take responsibility in monitoring the welfare of the citizens, adding that due to delays in salary payments, many people continue to die of stress.
“People are stressed with this one-month salary and I know many people have been suffering because of staying for months without pay. Others even died” she added.
“It is not simple. As a father or mother, you stay in the house with children, and no food, even to buy water to drink, is very difficult; you also know water tanks are very expensive,” she added.
She called on the government to pay employees on time and seek ways to clear the pending months.
The ministry of Finance announced early this month that it has started paying one-month salary arrears to civil servants and organized forces.
This development, after r nearly 12 months, follows a directive from President Salva Kiir Mayardit, who instructed the Ministry of Finance and economic team to prioritize settling government employees’ salary arrears as quickly as possible.
In his address, Kiir acknowledged the urgency of resolving the country’s economic challenges.
“We must correct the current anomalies in the economic sector to alleviate the suffering of our people,” he stated.
The salary delays have led to widespread discontent among South Sudan’s public servants. Employees across the country have expressed their frustration at the failure to receive their wages for an extended period.
Also, the 8th governor’s forum called on the finance ministry to clear the salary arrears; however, in defense, some government officials continue to blame the stoppage of oil flow and the economic crisis for the salary delay.