The recently passed budget that saw a 400 percent salary increment for civil servants and the combined armed forces has sparked mixed reactions from civil servants across the country.
While some government employees welcomed the raise, others say it will not address the high cost of living citing skyrocketing prices in the market.
Umjuma Luka, the headteacher of Salam Primary School in Juba, said she will not comment on the salary increment until she receives her pay with the raise reflected because the government has in the past repeatedly promised to enhance salaries but not actualized it.
“I have not seen the new budget with improved salaries. When I do, I will comment,” she said. “For the past two years, they have been saying salaries have been increased but we did not see it and have been receiving the old salary. They always promise that the new salary will be paid starting in the next month.”
Another Civil Servant in Juba, Gorbashock Edward, agrees with Luka saying he can only believe that the salaries have been increased once he receives the new pay.
“The budget that the president signed is something we hear in the media. As civil servants, we have been hearing about the increase in salaries for over and we cannot believe it until we see it,” he said. “We will only believe once the finance ministry takes action and we are paid the new salaries.”
“We will also see what the new pay can do because it is the market that will judge,” Edward added.
In Warrap State, some civil servants welcomed the increment, saying it would help them cater to their basic needs.
Aman Marol who works at the state information ministry said with the new salary, she will be able to buy food and pay school fees for children.
“The 400 percent salary increment is good but the exorbitant dollar still makes basic commodities expensive which increases the cost of living. It is a good step that the government has taken but it should regulate the dollar in the market to tame inflation,” she said. “There is surely going to be a change for the better but even if salaries increase and the dollar is still high, then the money will buy only a few items.”
She added; “However, the raise is still good because one can pay school fees.”
Oliver Ater, another civil servant who works at the Warrap State education ministry, said he is excited by the salary raise because it will improve his standard of living.
“The decision by the government to increase salaries is a very good thing and I appreciate it as it will motivate the workers to do their job efficiently,” he said. “This increment will change my life because I earn SSP 15,000 f and if it increases to even 30,000, my life will be very good. Momentarily, citizens run up and down doing many jobs to feed their families because the government salaries are low. If the increment happens, people will stick to one job.”
In Eastern Equatoria State, Jackson Nakoor who lives in Kapoeta town, said the raise is insignificant and will not improve living standards because commodities are already unaffordable.
“When you go to the market, your money is often not enough to buy food for the family and one cannot even afford meat. That is why I am saying the salary cannot feed a family,” he said. (They should increase the salary raise for government employees by at least SSP 400,00 each to improve lives.”
For her part, Rose Auma, who works at the Eastern Equatoria State education ministry, said the government does not value its employees and that the recent salary increment is trifling.
“We were expecting a 600 percent raise so that it improves the standard of living of civil servants,” she said. “For me particularly, this money will not help and they should increase salaries by another 600 percent.”