By Yang Ater Yang
Lecturers at Rumbek University of Science and Technology are demanding payment of their January 2024 salaries.
Benjamin Matur Madit, a member of the university’s academic staff, stated that the issue of delayed salaries has become a general problem in South Sudan, particularly at Rumbek University.
“I am directing my question to the President of this country,” he said. “Mr. President, you ordered that every civil servant in South Sudan must receive their salary on time. But why is it that our case at Rumbek University has become an exception? We have not received our salaries since your directive, while the central bank has ensured that the rest of the civil servants have been paid,” he said.
He raised concerns about whether information regarding their plight has reached the President, suggesting that complaints in South Sudan may be hidden from him.
“This is a genuine complaint that must be brought to your attention. Is there segregation in the process of sending money from the central bank to the beneficiaries? These questions need investigation. Where is our salary?” he asked.
Garnop Makur, another member of the university’s academic staff association, called on the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology to provide feedback on why the other four public universities received their January salaries for 2024 while Rumbek University did not.
“We have been waiting to understand the disconnect between the university administration, the Ivory Bank, and the ministry regarding this payment delay,” he explained. “We know when the national government disburses money, but we don’t know who is responsible for the hold-up.”
Makur said it was important to pay salaries timely.
He urged the national government to investigate the issues involving the university administration, the Ivory Bank, and the central bank.
“The national government has fulfilled its obligations to other public universities, and we are still waiting without any resolution.”
Kot Manyuon Thuc, Acting Chairperson of the Academic Staff Association and a lecturer at Rumbek University, confirmed that the academic staff have yet to receive their January 2024 salaries, while other public universities have already done so.
“We met on January 14, 2025, to discuss why we have been excluded from these payments,” he stated. “We have asked the Minister of Higher Education to look into this matter.”
Prof. Ishraqa Khamis, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance at Rumbek University, acknowledged that they have not received their salaries and expressed uncertainty about the reasons behind the delay.
“The problem does not lie with us as the university administration,” she said. “The central bank controls the disbursement to Ivory Bank, and the Ivory Bank in Rumbek currently has no cash,” he said.
She explained that the Ivory Bank’s headquarters in Juba has informed them that the central bank does not have sufficient funds to send.
“They have only sent a limited amount to the Ivory Bank in Rumbek, which is not enough given the demand,” she remarked.
Prof. Khamis added that she spoke with the Ivory Bank manager in Rumbek, who confirmed that they have not received the second round of funds.
“The message I can share with the staff of Rumbek University is that the Ivory Bank in Rumbek has no cash and is still waiting for the necessary funds to be transferred from the central bank. All solutions depend on the central bank,” she concluded.