Aerial view of Juba International Airport | File photo

The Ministry of Defense has taken over operations at the Juba International Airport after air traffic controllers went on strike last week, the Director of Juba International Airport has said.

Last week, flights at Juba International Airport were disrupted after airport traffic controllers went on strike.

The Director of Juba International Airport told Eye Radio, Tuesday, that the airport workers are demanding the renewal of their operation license, provision of air control equipment, and payment of their arrears.

“Those issues are being addressed by the higher authority of South Sudan,” Kur Kuol stated.

He revealed that last week the Office of the President assigned the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro to listen to the grievances of the airport workers.

But the strike has paralyzed landings and takeoffs at the country’s main gateway to the world’s airports.

“So Air Traffic Controllers of the army…took over by replacing the [civil aviation] Air Traffic Controllers until their issue is addressed,” he reported.

Mr. Kuol Kuol affirmed that the demands by the civil aviation workers such as arrears and better “equipment which always needs money, is now being followed with the Ministry of Finance.”

Last week, the economic cluster sub-committee on non-oil revenue called for investigations into the management of the airport, accusing officials of not fully remitting revenues to government coffers.

The committee is led by Onyoti Adigo, the minister for fisheries and animal resources.