Civil servants in the Jonglei State capital, Bor town, protested Wednesday to demand salary arrears and called on the government to clear the unpaid two-month dues.
Bior Ajuong, a representative of the striking workers, told Radio Tamazuj Wednesday that they had given the state government until Friday to respond to their demands.
“As civil servants, we presented a petition today in which we demanded our salary arrears for January and that of October last year,” he said. “A few days ago, of course, we received salaries but it was for February. We do not know the whereabouts of our two months’ salaries.”
The civil servants representative said they will meet to discuss measures they would take Friday if the state authorities ignore their demands.
Another civil servant, Mading Abraham, said: “Workers’ Union have been dissolved and now civil servants act on their own accord. There are a lot of issues. Salaries for January this year and October last year are not paid. Some counties are still demanding salaries for August and September last year while areas like Alali and Chiban in Akobo have gone unpaid for 14 months.”
Efforts to reach out to both Jonglei state governor, Denay Jock Chagor, and his deputy, Jacob Akech Dengdit, were futile.
On his part, John Samuel Manyuon, the state information minister, said he was not aware of the civil servants’ calls because he was outside the state.
Protests over unpaid salary arrears are commonplace among civil servants in Jonglei State. Last year, protesting civil servants in the state capital, Bor town, shut down government operations on a working day over unpaid allowances.