Employees of the state government in Upper Nile have not been paid for several months, ever since violence spread across much of the state beginning in December when army units began to mutiny.
Malakal, the state capital, changed hands several times and has largely been destroyed and abandoned. Many civil servants have fled the state or moved to opposition-controlled areas.
The state government admitted to Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that payment of January and February salaries has been delayed due to insecurity.
Philip Jiben, the minister of information said, “Now we are working to pay the salaries of two months for the state employees for January and February. There’s a pay committee in the state.”
“The security situation in the state is not good, so the money can be taken or stolen from people. So that’s why the money has not been sent, owing to security reasons,” he explained.
However, he pointed out that some national government employees who were based in the state including some working at Malakal Teaching Hospital and in the the state Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education were paid.
Jiben stressed that the money for salaries is still available and will be sent to the state when ready. Asked when this would be he said he was not able to say but could possibly update on the situation later this week.
Photo: Malakal market in the aftermath of looting, 31 December 2013 (Radio Tamazuj)