Legislators in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State expressed their frustration on Thursday after a miscommunication led to confusion regarding their salaries.
The Ministry of Finance had initially rejected releasing their payments, citing an incorrect claim that the MPs had already received their salaries in advance in May.
According to Conduct of Business Number 147 SUB 1, 2 & 3 in the House, lawmakers are entitled to recess allowances equivalent to three months’ payment, in addition to their regular salaries. The legislators clarified these details while speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Garang Chan Atak, the Deputy Chairperson for the Specialized Committee on Services and Members Affairs at the state assembly, explained that the payment received in May was, in fact, a recess allowance and not an advance salary.
He clarified that the parliament went on recess on May 24, 2023, and the Ministry of Finance released the recess allowances to the members, as prescribed by the conduct of business resolution NO. 147 SUB 1, 2 & 3. This resolution states that the recess allowance is calculated based on three months’ salaries and is provided to each MP while they continue to receive their normal monthly salaries.
“The issue arose when salaries were paid to all government institutions, but we did not receive ours. We questioned the Minister of Finance about this discrepancy, and he informed us that he had received directives from the governor stating that we had already received our salaries. However, what we received was the recess allowances,” Chan explained.
Another lawmaker, Tereza Achol Bilwan, expressed her frustration with the treatment from the finance ministry. She stated, “Everything is not going well here because when we went on recess, we were given allowances for three months. But when the official salaries arrived, we were denied them, claiming that we had already received them in advance.”
Angok Achuol Barjok, who represents Malual Centre Constituency, deemed the situation unconstitutional and called on the state governor to intervene promptly in order to resolve the matter. “This is an unconstitutional act because the law allows us to receive recess allowances, but our monthly salaries should not be withheld. We urge the governor to retract this order,” Achuol stated.
Finance Minister Andrew Lual Buola, who is also an MP, stated that the members had indeed received their three months’ salaries in advance. Lual explained that the MPs had requested their salaries in advance as they planned to visit their communities and relatives in grassroots areas. He emphasized that the MPs had signed for salaries covering the months of May, June, and July and challenged them to provide the documents used during the payment process.
“The MPs do not have the right to claim additional salaries because they already received their salaries for three months in advance. We paid them based on the monthly pay sheets. If they have any concerns, they should provide the documents we used when making their payments,” Lual clarified.