Governor Chagor urged to address perennial civil strike

The Chairman of the Jonglei Civil Society Network (JSCN), Bol Deng Bol, has appealed to the Jonglei State government under Governor Denay Chagor to urgently pay the civil servants’ allowances to avert another strike.

Bol said it was the right of the civil servants to be paid their allowances and, more so, unlawful to withdraw allowances without their consent.

“While the civil servants’ allowances are their rights and should not be taken away without their consent whatsoever, we believe that the government is capable of resolving the disagreement within the available state mechanisms. It is, therefore, imperative that the state government take the necessary actions immediately to avoid demonstrations and end the ongoing strike,” Bol pleaded.

He called on the state government to grant the civil servants’ rights so that other sectors, including education, security, health, and economic sectors, are not to be interrupted.

“Jonglei Civil Society Network (JCSN) is alarmed and appeals to the government of Jonglei State and its workforces to settle this stalemate amicably to avoid unnecessary strikes and demonstrations as this is likely to adversely affect the health sector, education sector, security sector, and the dwindling economy,” Bol stressed.

“Our education sector is currently preparing and conducting examinations for primary and secondary schools. This should not be interrupted whatsoever. Likewise, our security remains worryingly threatened, given the surging deadly inter-communal conflicts. With this stand-off, we are afraid that our security could be further jeopardised. “

Bol stressed that the state government had redirected allowances to fund the security sector due to insufficient local revenues, but the authorities denied the allegation.

He added that the move prompted the civil servants to serve notice of a demonstration on Wednesday.

MPs plead                                                           

Last week, the members of parliament who hail from Jonglei State pleaded with President Salva Kiir not to remove Governor Denay Jock Chagor despite several demands from different people, including Jonglei State Elders who want him to be removed from his position.

Ater Bayak Kuol, a member of parliament at Jonglei State Transitional Legislative Assembly, rubbished the call from the elders, saying they did not represent the interest of people in the state.

 “Your excellency, it is imperative to note that the group of so-called Jonglei State elders who went to your esteemed office on the second of February 2022, demanding the removal of energetic young leader Denay Jock Chagor,  are individuals of their own interests,” he said.

The legislator said that it was the agenda of politicians who might be lobbying for the position in Juba.

 “If the governor did not appoint their relatives in the state government, “that [was not] according to their interests.” “Those elders are just jealous of seeing a young, energetic leader made the governor of Jonglei State,” the MP said in the letter seen by The City Review.

“Therefore, I strongly appeal to Your Excellency, the President of the Republic of South Sudan, Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, not to listen to such groups of political opportunists who call themselves  Jonglei elders,” added the lawmaker. 

Salaries

Last year, the civil servants, after intense demonstrations, were granted their nature of work allowances after President Kiir summoned the state governor Denay Jock Chagor and the national minister of public service, Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro.

The President ordered the two leaders to form a committee to find out the facts about the demonstrations and why the civil servants’ salaries had not been paid on time.

The committee held a meeting with the state government and the Jonglei State Workers’ Trade Union where they agreed that 100 per cent of salaries would be paid with the nature of work allowance, which would be paid through local revenue within the state.

The civil servants then called off the demonstrations, promising to give a written appreciation to the state and national governments for understanding their plight.