South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has directed top police officers to remove ‘ghost names’ from payroll in response to correcting persistent weaknesses in fiscal management.

Speaking during a during three-day Police leadership conference in Juba on Thursday, Kiir said the police have no capacity to reduce crime rates in the country.

Kiir further said South Sudan police leadership should remove ghost names from payroll.

“If you don’t get rid of ghost names, you will be held accountable. Review the recruitment of officers according to needs. Protect everyone equally and be friend with the civil population,” he said.

The South Sudanese leader said, “The solution is for us to recruit young NCOs. We have to train more police, soldiers and NCOS.”

“We have to train young people who will be investigators so that they forward criminals to the judges, because the senior guys often release criminals,” he added.