Jonglei employees to produce qualification papers for grading

By Philip Thon Aleu

April 26, 2008 (BOR, Jonglei) — In a move to reduce nepotism and corruption, believed to deny employment opportunities to qualified persons in Jonglei state, the government has asked her employees to produce papers protecting their current grades Friday April 25 for the Public Services officials to evaluate.

Governor kuol Manyang made the announcement at Amana (governor’s office premises) to representatives from the State Ministries; that includes State Ministers, Directors, Secretaries and other government employees. Mr. Manyang asks the State servants to comply.

“You can not be a liberator for nothing; you need to avoid corruption, pay salary to the rightful persons and stop employing unqualified persons,” he said. The governor then declared that “all employees should produce their papers to the Public Services officials” and be graded accordingly.

Public Services officials will be able to work without any interference given the governor’s decree. Like any other young government, getting jobs in Jonglei state is attached to who you know but not what you know. Granting a better grade to relatives is highly suspended hence, a call for Public Services intervention.

It is not the first time Jonglei government employees face what they describes as “an inferno screening.” In February 2008, government reviewed her employees to deal with ghost and dual workers, an attempt seen as a major move against corruption and nepotism. The review, that commenced at the same time in all ministries, found hundreds of workers absent; probably the men and women believed to be in spirit (ghosts) or dual workers (commonly called doubt-dealers).

But today’s is very especial move. Grading employees according to one’s papers is not an easy moment. As the saying goes; one man meat is another man poison; sections of employees are prepared to avoid losing their ‘better grades’ and equally ready to accept the new one, meanwhile the unemployed, who access themselves as qualified persons, are eager for the outcome.” I’m very pleased; not to get a job but that, one must harvest what he or she sowed,” Michael Mading, a self employed Bor town resident said.

If the grading is completed, then the government should have a reason to progress. The governor wondered where development will come if the State’s budget is wholly used to pay unknown employees. Governor Kuol Manyang strongly criticized Jonglei state veterans, who dominate ministries, of employing their relatives including closed unqualified spouses or mothers. All ministers responded in support of accessing employees’ grades by Public Service officials who came from South Sudan capital Juba.

Other challenges Governor Kuol ‘s government are yet to respond to, includes insecurity that is seems to be taking roots after a long spelt, massive rural-urban migrations that have deprived Jonglei of locally produced food items and street children flooding Bor Town.

(ST)