A transport union in Renk County of Upper Nile State has complained about the delay in deporting returnees southward, a task they were supposed to be paid to do by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Renk hosts a large population of southern returnees from Sudan, many of whom are waiting for onward transportation farther south.

Chan Awol Akuei, head of the Land Transport and Communications Union in Renk County told Radio Tamazuj that the union had signed a contract with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to deport the stranded returnees in Renk to their areas in Maban County, but the organization has not yet handed them the rest of their dues.

He added that usually they sign the contract and receive 50% of the deportation dues but this time the organization had apologized that there is no money ready to hand over to the union, explaining that IOM has postponed the dues payment until the completion of deportation of the returnees.

Akuei said that the time has come to receive their dues, at a time the union is arranging for deportation of the last batch of returnees, but there are complaints from the owners of the vehicles. He also called on the International Organization for Migration to expedite the payment so as not to affect future trips.

File photo: A convoy of vehicles contracted by IOM in Eastern Equatoria State, South Sudan.