Lecturers at the University of Juba have issued a two-week ultimatum to the Ministry of Finance to pay their salary arrears for February and March as per the new salary structure or else they will lay down their tools.
This comes days after President Kiir directed the Minister of Finance to clear arrears of all public university lecturers and support staff.
The directive on April 5th did not specify the salary scales but said the payments should be based on the current salary scale.
According to the university dean’s board members, the differences between the old and new scales that the minister of finance has offered are not good enough.
In a statement, the board members asked the Minister of Finance and Planning to pay them according to their July 2022 and January 2023 modalities which included past arrears and the new salary scale.
“The deans’ of the board are empowered to take any necessary action, including industrial action if the minister of finance failed to comply by April 26, 2023,” the university’s Senate said
In last week’s meeting with President Kiir, the Minister of Finance, Dier Tong Ngor said “They had a fruitful meeting, and the head of state directed him to pay the salary arrears and allowances based on the current salary scale.