March 13, 2021(Nyamilepedia) — Former South Sudan State officials remain unheard by President Salva Kiir Mayardit and the fate of their dues unknown after a committee formed to follow up the issue was barred from meeting him.
This was despite having secured an appointment for Thursday to deliver a complaint letter over the delayed payment of their dues after service.
The committee members who were there to follow up on the financial dues had themselves frozen by the president’s security yesterday after they failed to produce Covid-19 negative certificates.
“Security refused us to meet the president and asked the members of the committee to show a certificate of corona examination and they forced us to go and conduct the examination yet this certificate is for people traveling outside the country,” complained Peter Gatkuoth Chuol, the spokesperson for the committee and former advisor for peace and reconciliation for the defunct Southern Liech State.
Gatkuoth anchored his argument on an administrative order that had been issued by the president to pay dues to former officials.
In addition, the order had directed that a follow-up committee headed by the Vice President for Economic Affairs, James Wani Igga be formed.
The committee spokesman expressed his disappointment with the Wani Igga committee saying it had devastatingly failed in its mission. He accused them of receiving money and abandoning mission midway.
“The Wani Igga committee failed to complete its mission, and they received some money, so they became uninterested in the issue,” noted Gatkuoth bitterly. “The Ministry of Finance said that the main decision did not reach them, and therefore we formed a committee to meet with the President of the Republic to demand our rights.”
According to Gatkuoth, his committee represents 1,815 government officials from the previous 32 states who are demanding their financial dues. The officials include advisors, governors, commissioners and parliamentarians.
The former official insisted that they would press on in demanding their dues until they are paid as per the president’s promise. He pointed out that the order directed that governors would receive 50,000 dollars while the rest of the officials would settle with 40,000 dollars each.
