South Sudan starts reviewing police salaries
August 20, 2013 (WAU) – South Sudan has, in a bid to determine the salary structure of police officers, started reviewing payments currently given to those in active service.
“The issue of low payment for the security forces, including police was one of the items we which discussed and was raised to the presidency in our reports in the assembly this year. The president accepted and directed that a review must be carried out,” Aleu Ayieny Aleu told the police leadership council Monday.
This [review] is now being done and I want you to pay attention to key areas as you bring forth concerns about low payment for [the] police force, he added.
The two-day convention held in Wau, the Western Bahr el Ghazal capital, mainly tackled security issues in the country, with specific focus on small arms and lights weapons.
President Salva Kiir, on recommendation from the national assembly, recently directed that salaries of security organs be reviewed.
The new interior minister, however, warned commanders within the police force against messing around with salaries of the junior officers.
“You must be very careful and show seriousness in the way you deal with personnel matters and their welfare. These issues of someone missing on payroll even when they are on duty should be addressed promptly when they arise,” stressed Aleu.
Such issues should [be] identified as early as possible before salaries are paid because it pains when your colleagues get paid and you are told to wait because [your] name was not on the pay slips, he added.
TOUGH MEASURES
Meanwhile, the interior minister vowed tough actions against officers, who deny others the right to receive payments worked for.
During the convention, the police renewed its commitment to halt the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which remains a setback in efforts to attain stability in the country.
Also stressed at the two-day forum was the commitment from member states to strengthen efforts for robust control measures in regard to the transfer of small arms and light weapons within the region.
Akot Deng Akot, the Western Bahr el Ghazal police commissioner said the convention should serve as a platform to share experiences as establish networks that will help accomplish resolutions agreed upon.
Last year’s convention, he reminded the council, tackled insecurity and terrorism, vandalism, drug trafficking, banditry and all other dangers that threaten the country and beyond.
(ST)