South Sudanese citizens do not need to know what government officials are paid in terms of salaries and allowances, according to Minister of Information Michael Makuei Lueth.
In an interview with a radio journalist today he declined to say how much money the negotiators collected as “daily substance allowances” each day at the previous round of peace talks in Addis Ababa, before the current adjournment.
Radio Tamazuj has reported exclusively that the chief negotiator was paid $2000 per day and another 14 delegates were paid $1000 per day. These allowances were paid on top of their salaries and benefits.
Asked to comment on this, the information minister said, “Well these are unfounded – of course people have just been talking anyhow. So that is not correct, I don’t agree with it.”
Lueth further dismissed the source of the report saying it was published by a “hostile radio.” Nonetheless he was pressed about the allowances but declined to comment. “I said: this is a report from a hostile media. Full stop.”
The journalist then said that citizens would perhaps like to know the truth about the allowances, to which Lueth interjected, “Those citizens don’t need to know what is particular about the allowances and not knowing about the salaries of the people.”
“I think that question is irrelevant.”
“So the government is not going to comment whatsoever on how much the delegation gets?” the interviewer asked.
“That is none of your concern,” said the minister.
File photo: Michael Makuei Lueth
Related coverage:
Peace activist calls on S Sudan negotiators to explain per diems (8 Dec.)
SPLM-IO says $2000 per diem ‘not surprising’ (8 Dec.)
South Sudanese chief negotiator paid ‘allowance’ of $2000 per day (5 Dec.)