Sudanese president officially signs off on increasing minimum wage

October 3, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir issued a decree to implement a unified structure of remuneration for the year 2013 and approved raising the minimum wage to 425 pounds ($96.59 according to official exchange rate) which becomes effective retroactively as of January 2013.

The decision excludes judges, advisers to the Ministry of Justice as well as public sector banks .

The minimum wage in Sudan was 165 pounds but the Sudanese government announced several months ago that it will supplement it by adding 200 pounds as part of what is better known as the “presidential grant”.

But many sections of the government claimed that the extra 200 pounds were never received by their employees.

The face of the presidential decision and the Ministry of Finance to schedule workers dues since January 2013.

The timing of the decree coincides with one of the worst protests Sudan has witnessed in years over the government’s move this week to lift fuel subsidies which almost doubled their prices.

A gallon of gasoline now costs 21 Sudanese pounds ($4.77 based on official exchange rate) compared to 12.5 pounds ($2.84).

Diesel also went from 8 pounds ($1.81) a gallon to 14 pounds ($3.18).

Cooking gas cylinders are now are priced at 25 pounds ($5.68) from 15 pounds ($3.40).

Khartoum has long pushed back against labor unions demand for hiking minimum wage saying that it will fuel inflation making its impact on people’s livelihood nil.

Sudan lost 75% of its oil reserves after the southern part of the country became an independent nation in July 2011 denying the north billions of dollars in revenues. Oil revenue constituted more than half of the Sudan’s revenue and 90% of its exports.

(ST)