South Sudan launches electronic payroll system
February 3, 2013 (JUBA) – An electronic payroll management system seeking to improve efficiency within South Sudan’s civil service has officially been launched by the country’s labour and public service ministry.
Implementation of the pilot phase of the system, focusing on how to improve payroll management at both the national and state levels, commences this month and continues until April, officials say.
Angeth Acol de Dut, the under-secretary in the public service ministry is optimistic the Electronic Payroll Systems (EPS) will help the young nation reduce the existence of ghost workers on government payrolls.
Without giving details on how much the government loses annually because of non-existing workers, Acol said the new system will further enhance the efficiency of South Sudan’s civil service sector, in the absence of the civil service wage bill.
“Under this new system, all government institutions will be required to submit their reports to the public service ministry. Those who do not comply will have their payrolls withheld as required by the new electronic payroll system,” she said at Friday’s launch.
Meanwhile, the ministry says it will soon embark on a series of training programs to equip its staff with the various skills and techniques involved in the electronic payroll system.
In August 2011, South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal state established a state-of-the-art integrated tax management system, as part of its government’s effort to foster the effective implementation of tax reforms.
The system, launched a month later, was a component of the state revenue authority’s mandate to enhance local revenue mobilisation through development of the necessary statutory laws and regulations.
The state, which borders neighbouring Sudan, has also established a computerised system of tax handling, with a move to enhance state revenue collections and steer development.
(ST)