Gov’t team jets in Bor to probe strike

The government through the Ministry of Public Service and Human Resources Development has dispatched a committee to Bor, Jonglei State, to investigate the protests.

It is almost three weeks since the civil servants have been demonstrating over what they called state non-compliance with the 100 per cent salary raise.

The Minister for Public Service and Human Resources Development, Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro, revealed that the committee would investigate why the salaries have not to be paid up to date.

After landing in Bor yesterday, the committee will excavate the facts and deliver the feedback to President Salva Kiir as soon as members return to Juba.

 “We had a meeting with the President last Thursday, and we agreed in the meeting that we need to send a team to Bor to carry out investigations on the demonstrations and to see why civil servants are not being paid and what are the problems,” he explained.

Issue at hand

The Workers Trade Union on Monday petitioned President Salva Kiir to help in solving their grievances with the state government over the unpaid salaries and the alleged allowances.

In the letter, they demanded a 100 per cent salary raise with “nature of work allowance”.

They also demanded “new teachers’ allowance” which they said was approved by the national Ministry of General Education and Instruction, chalk allowances, and finally an allowance for the medical staff called “infection allowance.”

They vowed to continue with demonstrations till their needs are met by the state government.

Summon

President Kiir summoned Bakosoro and the Governor of Jonglei State Denay Jock Chagor last Thursday to brief him on the case of civil servants in Jonglei State.

The statement from the office of the president showed that the meeting also included the security concern and the revenge killings that seemed to be paralysing peaceful coexistence between Jonglei State and Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA).

Bakosoro advised the citizens to shun demonstrations over salaries that are already approved.

“Bakosoro appealed to the public and people of Jonglei State to shun meaningless riots as their salaries have been increased to 100 per cent,” read the statement from the office of the President.

Governor Chagor called on the civil servants to abide by the law and remain calm as they wait for their salaries.

Salary increment

President Kiir announced the 100 increments of the salaries of civil servants on the celebration of the tenth anniversary of South Sudan independence.

The Minister for Public Service and Human Resources Development, Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro, confirmed to the City Review that the increment would depend on the release of the salaries by the Ministry of Finance.

 “Getting that increased salary will depend on the Ministry of Finance and Planning for us we have done our work as the ministry concerned,’’ Bakosoro said.

 “It is a 100 per cent increment of salary which means if you are getting SSP5,000 you will get SSP10, 000 [after] increment,” Bakasoro told City Review in a telephone interview yesterday.

Ending corruption

The president during the swearing-in ceremony of the incumbent Minister for Finance and Economic Planning Agak Achuil Lual advised Agak to fight corruption and desist from following the footsteps of his predecessors.

He asked him to report any corrupt official in his Ministry who accepts bribery if he cannot sack him or her. The president cautioned the finance minister over timely payment of the salaries of civil servants and the organised forces.

The Finance Minister pledged to be paying salaries on a timely basis and to fight inflation which has paralysed the country’s economy.