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South Sudan Radio and TV staff threaten to go on strike

March 26, 2010 (JUBA) – Staff of the two major and only Southern Sudan government-owned broadcasting media have threatened to go on strike beginning on Monday over lack payment of 12 months arrears of their housing allowances.

Betty_Opani.jpgThe staff of the two state-owned broadcasting media, which are under the administration of the ministry of Information and Broadcasting in the Government of Southern Sudan, were supposed to be paid their allowances since last year.

The cabinet passed a resolution last year directing all the ministries and independent institutions to start paying the housing allowances to all the staff, classified and unclassified alike, beginning from January of the year 2009. The decision was made after the government assessed the difficulty faced by government employees in getting accommodation as house rents have become very expensive in the region.

The rest of the government institutions immediately begun to pay all their staff, by either paying all the 12 months or at least paying six months at a go from their last year’s budgets, with the promise to pay the remaining balance from this year’s budget.

However, staff of the Southern Sudan Radio and TV lamented that the ministry of Information and Broadcasting failed to implement the resolution and has not paid even a single month to its employees.

This has unleashed loss of confidence in the Radio and TV administration, Sudan Tribune has learned.

The staffs who were signing up for the strike on Friday lamented that their committee earlier formed to follow up the issue with the ministry could not receive any positive response. Meetings conducted with the Undersecretary of the Ministry, George Garang, have born no fruits while the Minister, Paul Mayom Akech previously failed to act and is rarely in Juba this year.

The Director General in charge of both Radio and TV in Southern Sudan, Arop Bagat Tingloth, is reported to have asked the staff to put off the strike on Monday and give him two days time to try to resolve the issue with the mother ministry.

Southern Sudan Radio and TV used to be an autonomous Corporation operating independently from ministry of Information. However, following the signing of the CPA and the formation of government in 2005, it was brought under the direct administration of the ministry.

The two broadcasting state-owned media are currently a very effective tool during the elections as political parties, particularly the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), are airing their campaign rallies and speeches across the nation and beyond international borders.

Observers assessing the situation said any continuous failure by the ministry of Information and Broadcasting to resolve the issue would prove to be a very big below to the elections process if the strikes occur next week and result to shutting down of the only two broadcasting media in the region.

(ST)

16 Comments

  • Gatwech
    Gatwech

    South Sudan Radio and TV staffs threaten to go on strike
    Pathetic corrupt ministry of Information. They don’t know from where they cut their tails.

    Why is the ministry refusing to pay staff? How did the rest of the ministries pay their staff? This is a complete failure, negligence of the rights of the ministry’s staff and corruption to say the least. The administration simply doesn’t care. Selfish!

    Salvatore Kiir should immiediately intervene or the South will be in darkness without TV and official radio.

    Pathetic corrupt GOSS!

    Reply
  • Dinka Boy
    Dinka Boy

    South Sudan Radio and TV staffs threaten to go on strike
    Housing Allowances, or salary payment?

    I am confuse because there is difference between the allowance and Salary.
    Why GOSS pay people salaries and the allowances at the same time while GOSS has no sturdy financial growth. If the radio and TV staffs were looking for their salaries,then why not pay them for the whole year,but if they are complianing for the allowances,then it agreater mistake for the Goss to give allowance to employees while they know that there are no finanancial stabiblity in the South because we just getting funds from just oil revenue. We have no industeries, private sectors, governor own business,then why allowances?

    Reply
  • Akuma
    Akuma

    South Sudan Radio and TV staff threaten to go on strike
    They are right! how come for government to procrastinate to pay their allowance meanwhile they government officials are consuming the money of this people. Have forget that the media is the tough job?

    Please payment need to be given before strike because you all know the consequences of strike.

    Dr. Akuma,
    Chicago, USA

    Reply
  • Dinka Boy
    Dinka Boy

    South Sudan Radio and TV staff threaten to go on strike
    Allowance payments, Distribution of cars to individuals, and late payment of soldiers in the South need rapid change completely. These cars are assets that should not be used for personal used. Allowance for what?

    Reply
  • Gatluak Latjor
    Gatluak Latjor

    South Sudan Radio and TV staff threaten to go on strike
    The timing of the Strike will make it political and the staff must be carefull.I prefer it after the elections so that it does get exploited by other political parties opposed to the SPLM party and the staff become victims.

    Reply
  • Hassan
    Hassan

    South Sudan Radio and TV staff threaten to go on strike
    vulnerable people are always the victims of totalitarian establishments where the downtrodden are deprived of their rights. President Kirr take decisive action to address the greivances of those heroic media people.

    Reply
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