Central Equatoria defers approval of civil servants’ allowances
The ordinary sitting of the Central Equatoria State council of ministers in its regular sitting on Thursday has deferred the approval of the memorandum of understanding on the payment of “nature of work allowances” to civil servants in the state.
The sitting, which was chaired by Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony, discussed two separate memos, including approval of the nature of work allowance from the State Ministry of Labour, Public Service, and Human Resource Development, and the memo from the state ministry of housing, lands, and public utilities regarding housing, land, and property rights in the state.
The Minister of Information and Communication, who also doubles as the Official Government Spokesperson, Andruga Mabe, said the council deferred the approval of the nature of the work allowance due to the pending communication from the national government.
“Regarding the memo on the approval of the nature of work allowance of all state civil servants, the council deferred the memo until further communication from the national government.”
The initial council’s order concerning the memo of the state ministry of housing, lands, and public utilities was nullified. It was resolved that Gurei North would be demarcated as a third-class residential area.
“On the memo of the State Ministry of Housing, Lands and Public Utilities, the council jointly nullified the previous council’s order of the previous government on the status of Gurei North, and the council resolved to be demarcated as a third class residential area with immediate effect and directed the State Ministry of Housing, Lands and Public Utilities to work collaboratively with the local authorities in executing this order,” the statement read in part.
In his opening speech, the governor said the security situation in the state was relatively calm.
Adil disclosed the state’s plan to swear in state parliamentarians to begin parliamentary sittings.
Adil instituted a committee headed by the minister for cabinet affairs, Wayi Goodwill Edward, to speed up the government’s transition from analogue to digital through e-government.
“The governor declared the state government plans to initiate an official trip to Kajo-Keji County, slated towards the end of this month, which is aimed at enhancing security stabilisation, evacuation of cattle herders, and effective border security coordination along the common borders,” the statement partly read.
“(He) encouraged the Cabinet Members in their respective dockets to begin launching robust programs and policies to effect service delivery to the general public.”
Teachers refuse payment
The teachers of Central Equatoria State earlier this month refused their salaries as they claimed the nature of work allowance.
They vowed not to give up the strike till they were granted allowances and their 100 per cent payment, as announced by the president on the 10th anniversary of South Sudan’s independence.
The chairperson of the Central Equatoria State teachers’ union, George Sebit, said they were claiming payment according to the new pay structure that was created by the national ministry of public service.
“The position of the teachers was very clear. They told the minister that we respect you, but go and tell the governor that we will not receive this salary without that column of the general allowance for the nature of work which [is] omitted, ” Sebit stated.
The secretary-general of the Central Equatoria Teachers Union, Justine Walak, said the national ministry of public service had given them all the documents concerning the new salary structure, including the nature of work allowance.
“We were very much disturbed after learning that one of the main columns of the new salary structure, which is the nature of work, had been omitted without any proper explanation,” he noted.
“It contradicts the statement of the president to increase salaries of civil servants by 100 per cent, which was actually approved by the national council of ministers chaired by the president.”
He stressed that the Ministry of Education gave them the go-ahead in December to investigate the problem.
“Our concern is that omitting the nature of work allowance, which is the main component of the new structure, is what we are battling with our government,” he stressed.
In December 2021, the union gave notice to the governor that their salaries must be paid by December 23, 2021. However, they extended it to January 3, due to Christmas celebrations.
They claimed the new salary structure was approved by the national ministry of finance but disapproved by the state government.
