South Darfur legislature calls for pay increase

January 6, 2016 (NYALA) – The legislative council of South Darfur state has called on the Sudanese presidency to increase their wages which remain unchanged since ten years ago.

The state deputies request to raise their salaries to SDG 5000 monthly instead of the 1900 pounds they used to collect since 2006.

The council has addressed the President of the Republic on the matter saying that “this pay does not take into consideration the pressing living conditions”.

“This pay is incompatible with the council’s legislative and supervisory responsibilities,” told Sudan Tribune the speaker of South Darfur state council Salih Abdel Jabbar on Wednesday.

The deputy’s monthly spending is far bigger than this sum, he further said, warning that this low pay might cripple the legislative work in the state.

He said they had filed a memo to this effect to the minister in the federal rule chamber Faisal Ibrahim and asked him to pass it to the President of Republic.

The speaker said South Darfur government had used to give them a 2100 pounds monthly bonus, but the state’s auditor general argued that it was illegal and it has now been stopped.

A source who spoke to Sudan Tribune on condition of anonymity said the low pay could directly and negatively affect the performance of the state deputies.

He said the deputy actually receives SDG1700 after SDG 200 is deducted to the respective deputy’s party and to the council’s social support fund.

Under these conditions the deputies cannot perform their duties in full and may seek other occupations to make ends meet, he said.

(ST)