Civil servants in Kajo-Keji County, Central Equatoria State, are expressing concerns about the delay in receiving their July 2023 salaries and are urging the government to address the issue promptly.
Last September, the National Ministry of Finance established a committee to disburse the July salaries, along with a 400 percent salary increment, for civil servants in the ten states and three administrative areas.
However, several civil servants in Kajo-Keji told Radio Tamazuj on Friday that, unlike their counterparts in Juba, Terekeka, Lainya, Yei, Morobo, and other parts of the country, they are yet to receive their salaries.
Benson Sokiri, a Senior Inspector for the Planning and Budgeting Directorate of Education in Kajo-Keji, confirmed the delay, stating, “That’s quite true. Since the payment for the month of July started in Juba, nobody has come here (Kajo-Keji) with money to pay us.”
“There was a committee that was charged with the payment of July salary, but the committee did not reach here. The committee operates under the national government,” he added.
According to him, despite the continuous efforts made by both the county director in the directorate of education and Commissioner Phanuel Dumo, no positive results have been achieved. He highlighted unverified reports suggesting that the allocated funds might be insufficient to cover the salaries of civil servants in Kajo-Keji County.
Anthony Akuga Lo-kiden, a Primary Health Care (PHC) Supervisor, shed light on the dire situation faced by the staff, stating that many are barely surviving on their farm produce. Lo-Kiden conveyed information obtained from the Kajo-Keji Directorate of Finance, revealing that the committee tasked with salary disbursement couldn’t reach the county due to a deficit in the allocated funds.
“We did not receive the salary for July because when I communicated with the finance officer, who is currently in Juba, he mentioned that some of the counties have received their salaries. However, when he attempted to collect the salaries for Kajo-Keji, he discovered that the funds were insufficient, preventing him from bringing those salaries to Kajo-Keji,” he lamented.
Phanuel Dumo, the Commissioner of Kajo-Keji County, shared insights into the complication, indicating that the issue originated when he was informed that the pay sheet for Kajo-Keji civil servants was mistakenly taken to Lainya. However, he now understands that there is a deficit in the allocated funds.
“I talked to the minister to find out exactly what the situation is. I was made to understand that a list of pay sheets belonging to Kajo-Keji happened to be in Lainya,” Dumo explained. “They were saying there is a shortage of money that prevented the payment of officials’ salaries for Kajo-Keji.”
Commissioner Dumo urged Minister Kakuli to expedite the transfer of funds, suggesting that the money be sent to alleviate the predicament faced by the civil servants.
Despite multiple attempts by Radio Tamazuj to obtain a statement from Viana Kakuli, the State Minister of Finance, our efforts were unsuccessful, as several phone calls went unanswered.
To contact Radio Tamazuj with comments, news tips or information, write to radiotamazuj@gmail.com or use the contact form.