File: Minister of Information, Michael Makuei addresses media in Juba. PHOTO: Joakino Francis/Eye Radio

The government has resolved that national employees in the oil sector should be paid equally with their international colleagues.

This comes after the Council of Ministers approved a new unified human resources policy manual tabled by the Minister of Petroleum Pout Kang.

The development comes after the national employees of Dar Petroleum Operating Company went on strike over the implementation of the new policy.

The employees went on a three-day strike on Monday.

They are demanding better pay and the implementation of a new human resource policy.

They also want an agreed salary structure, allowances, loans, social insurance fund, and personal income tax.

According to the national staff, the unified human resources manual is a tool that will guarantee the rights of the workers and the companies are respected.

However, yesterday, the Council of Ministers admitted that there are differences in the salary structures of national and foreign staff in the oil sector.

After deliberations, the Council approved the new Human Resource Policy to be implemented for the welfare of all oil sector employees.

“As for unified human resources policy manual, this was simply because in the oil sector there are different salaries which are paid for different people, the foreigners are paid better and nationals get low pay yet they are doing the same job,” the Minister of Information, Michael Makuei said.

Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the Workers Trade Union of Petroleum and Mining said they have welcomed approval of the unified policy.

“That was actually what they have been looking for because they want the human resource to be implemented and now it has become a rule and mandatory to all parties to implement the policy including DPOC, I think they are going to call off the strike because there is no to continue with the strike when the human resource policy is already approved,” Dr. Ater Yuot stated.

The Dar Petroleum Operating Company (DPOC), is a consortium of China National Petroleum Corporation, South Sudan-owned Nile Petroleum Corporation, Malaysia’s PETRONAS, Sinopec, and Tri-Ocean Energy.

It mainly operates Block 3 and 7 oil fields in Upper Nile State.