The governor of Western Equatoria state and his deputy have renewed counter accusations over the alleged 30% deduction of civil servants salaries.
A week ago, the government of Western Equatoria State fell apart after some officials including the deputy governor announced they pulled out from active participation in state affairs.
The group made the decision in response to Governor Alfred Futuyo’s alleged order to deduct 30% from the salaries of civil servants, executives, and the legislatures.
They also alleged that the governor suspended the council of ministers’ meetings.
On October 8, Deputy Governor Dr. Kennedy Gaaniko, alongside members of SPLM-IG, SSOA, OPP, and FDs said the state parliamentarians have gone without salaries for five months, and that civil servants in the now-defunct states have not been integrated into the state government, since 2020.
But a day later, the South Sudan Opposition Alliance issued a separate statement distancing themselves from the alleged withdrawal supported by the Deputy Governor’s group.
Speaking to Eye Radio in an exclusive interview in Yambio Town, Kennedy Gaaniko claimed that the governor held a meeting with cashiers bypassing the normal procedures through the Council of Ministers or the directors concerned.
“This is not the first time the governor can bypass the council of ministers, he can bypass the Director General of the ministries, the director of administration, and the Director of Accounts and goes directly to meet the cashiers,” said Gaaniko.
“In that meeting with the cashiers, he said yes he is the one that ordered for the deduction of the 30% of the civil servant’s salary, the executive and the legislatures he said it.”
In response, Governor Alfred Futiyo said that his deputy, the Director General of Finance as well as the cashiers in the state Ministry of Finance instead tried to set him up, but they failed.
Futuyo said the individuals were arrested and huge sums of money were recovered from them following an investigation.
“Gaaniko and his team set a trap in the ministry of finance. They said this governor has defeated them. They set the trap in the ministry of finance with the cashiers and the Director General of Finance to deduct civil servants’ salaries, not me,” said Governor Futuyo.
“When I heard about this on the streets, I run the national security to arrest everyone because I want to know how people’s money was deducted, people were arrested,
“They started confessing others had 500 thousand others 1 million others 700 thousand and the national security returned the money back to the ministry of finance,
“They did not find any money with me. They did their investigation and I have the copy. What I will say is let people sing.”
Governor Futiyo said he has no problem with anyone but is ready to work with the cabinet ministers that withdrew from his cabinet.
“I have no problem with anyone, I said it in freedom square that you guys, what you were planning have failed, all my ministers should resume work in their offices,” Governor Futuyo said.
“Gaaniko should come to me and say governor sorry what happened have happened,
“I will tell him thank you my brother then order two cows and slaughter them then we will organize a big function and merry. They are still my people. I need them back.”
On his part Kennedy Gaaniko acknowledged the fact that people are not happy with the way they are administering the state, he said for him and his team to resume work civil servants’ salaries must be paid without any deduction.
“People are not happy with the way we are administering this state, they are not happy because their little salary has been deducted. What do you expect from people? asked Gaaniko.
“The way forward, No. 1, the salary of civil servants should be paid without deduction from anybody this issue is all about the salary,
“Let the civil servants receive their money there is no problem, secondly ministers should report to the council of ministers that’s all.”