Finance ministry delaying salaries for civil servants: Kiir

November 7, 2019 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s president Salva Kiir on Tuesday accused the Finance ministry of delaying payments for lawmakers, constitutional post holders and civil servants.

“The ministry of Finances and Planning never obeyed its promises. I commit the government to make the necessary arrangements to expedite the payment of all the outstanding emoluments of the honorable members, constructional post holders and civil servants,” said Kiir.

“That is a right that cannot be denied and government must pay all that is outstanding,” he added.

President Kiir recently apologised to civil servants for going without salaries for several months, saying the failure was caused by weaknesses in the government.

South Sudan, where oil revenues make up nearly 98% of its budget, has been reeling under economic crisis due to civil war.

In August this year, the South Sudanese parliament approved a budget of SSP 208 billion ($1.6 billion for the financial year 2019/2020.

South Sudan’s oil production declined when conflict broke out in 2013. A September peace deal is holding, but a plan to form a national unity government was pushed to early next year.

The world’s youngest nation, officials say, presently produces 135,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

(ST)