Civil servants have expressed growing frustration over delays in their monthly salary payments, citing a lack of government action despite prior assurances.
This discontent follows a statement released last month by Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel, Vice President and Chairperson of the Economic Clusters, reaffirming the government’s commitment to timely salary payments for civil servants and organized forces.
In an exclusive interview with Standard Zone News, a Northern Bahr el Ghazal State civil servant, identified only as Bol for fear of reprisal, criticized the lack of implementation.
Bol, who works in the state Ministry of Finance, revealed that civil servants have been waiting for nearly a month without receiving their salaries.
“There has been no implementation. Up to now, some workers have been waiting for nearly a month, but there’s no cash,” Bol stated.
He also highlighted the dire situation faced by some institutions, which have resorted to selling their assets to traders at a discount of 10 to 20 percent to secure funds. “This is a very bad situation,” he added.
Another civil servant, employed by the Council of States and speaking anonymously, pointed out flaws in the government’s payment system. According to the source, the government has been issuing cheques on the 24th of each month without verifying whether previous cheques have been cleared.
“The new payment method involves issuing cheque after cheque without confirming whether the first or second cheque has been paid. They just continue issuing cheques every 24th day. I think they’ll do it again tomorrow,” the source remarked.
According to the source, this is a new tactic the government has employed to appease civil servants who even die with the hope of a better tomorrow.
The civil servant appealed to the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank, and the Office of the Chairperson of Economic Clusters to urgently address the issue.
“I am appealing to the Minister of Finance and their boss in the economic cluster to resolve this urgent problem. They should also ensure the Central Bank is committed, as other institutions are still holding previous cheques without liquidity in the bank,” he said.
On March 24, 2025, Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel released a statement reiterating the government’s pledge to ensure timely salary payments. The statement emphasized that salaries for public servants and members of the organized forces would be paid consistently on the 24th of every month.
Addressing civil servants directly, Dr. Bol Mel urged them to return to their duties with renewed energy and patriotism, emphasizing the critical role their services play in institutional strength, national development, and economic recovery.
South Sudan’s civil servants are experiencing one of the worst situations in decades, with employees demanding government pay of over twelve months’ salary arrears.
