By Kei Emmanuel Duku
South Sudan’s civil servants and organized forces can finally breathe a sigh of relief for the month of September as the Ministry of Finance and Planning has announced the full payment of their salaries.
This comes at the backdrop of commitment initially made by Vice President for Economic Cluster, Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel during his swearing early this year.
In his swearing, Dr. Mel reiterated his commitment to pay salaries of civil servants and organized forces every 24th day of the month.
In a press release issued Wednesday, the Ministry of Finance and Planning confirmed that funds for all government agencies, commissions, and departments have been disbursed.
This means the money is now ready for individual accounts of civil servants, members of the organized forces, and employees in States and Administrative Areas.
The Ministry’s statement attributes the timely payment to “strict directives” from the Vice President for the Economic Cluster, who has insisted that salaries be paid on the 24th of every month.
The press release describes this as a clear sign of the government’s “unwavering commitment” to its financial obligations.
The Ministry of Finance and Planning also pledged to continue its efforts to ensure timely salary payments in the future.
The statement highlighted ongoing “fundamental economic reforms” aimed at boosting the nation’s economic recovery, improving service delivery, and aligning with the government’s National Development Strategy.
The September salaries and other pervious payment comes amidst a long history of delayed salary payments for civil servants in South Sudan.
Historically, government employees have often gone months without receiving their wages, a situation that has severely impacted civil servants and organized forces livelihoods and the country’s economy.
The timely payment of September’s salaries, as announced by the Ministry of Finance, is a significant departure from this pattern. The government’s promise to pay salaries by the 24th of each month is a new directive aimed at addressing this long-standing issue and restoring public trust in its financial management.