Officials in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria, Western Equatoria, Warrap and Jonglei states have confirmed to Radio Tamazuj that civil servants in government institutions in their states did not receive their salaries of January.

Torit County Commissioner in Eastern Equatoria German Charles told Radio Tamazuj that the civil servants in the state did not receive their salaries of January. However, German downplayed this issue saying civil servants receive their salaries in the middle of the next month in most cases.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Twic East in Jonglei State Dau Akoi said the civil servants in the state did not receive their salaries of January due to a delay from the national government in Juba.

For his part, the deputy governor of the newly created Tonj State Manhiem Bol Malek also confirmed that many civil servants did not receive their salary but said they will probably receive it on Wednesday or Thursday.

“We still did not receive the salaries of January but they may be receiving it today or tomorrow because the bank account of the state was one in the former Warrap state,” he said.

The official was referring to challenges in splitting up the financial administration of the state into three parts following the division of the state by Salva Kiir.

The president has been asked by the East African bloc IGAD to suspend further actions to create the 28 states that he decreed should take the place of the ten constitutionally established states. Appointed state governors were in the process of establishing their own cabinets and institutions when IGAD made this request. 

In a number of states, the newly appionted governors have continued to make appointments and to negotiate for the division of assets and personnel of the predecessor states among the successor states.