Deng Jou, the commissioner of Melut - Courtesy

Authorities in Melut County of Upper Nile state have signed a contract with one-hundred teachers using its oil share, the commissioner has said.

Deng Jou, the commissioner of Melut says the teachers will be deployed in eleven primary schools and two secondary schools across the county.

They have 35 teachers for secondary schools and 65 for primary schools.

According to Jou, the primary and secondary school teachers will each earn a unified monthly salary of 300 US dollars.

He said the oil-rich producing county will also cater for their accommodation, feeding, medical and entertainment needs.

Commissioner Jou revealed that the hired teachers’ salaries will be raised from the 3% oil revenue allocation to the area by the national government.

He stated that the county has already signed a contract with a local company to be responsible for the welfare of the teachers.

The teachers are expected to arrive in the area early this week.

“We contracted one hundred teachers, we have one hundred teachers on their way to Melut town now. These one hundred teachers will cover the seven Payams of Melut County,” Jou told Eye Radio.

“Our policy is to implement the SPLM vision of transferring towns to the village. We don’t want to burden our children in the village to come to the town, we have to reach them whenever they are.

“Melut has eleven schools and two seconds and all will be covered, am here in Juba to process their travelling within this week.

“We agreed with them that their salaries will be $300 and other needs, the county will cover it with transport, health insurance and entertainment and all these things will be at the cost of the county, and they will get $300 net.”

Melut County has about 500 oil wells – with a production of more than 120,000 barrels per day.

According to the petroleum management act, 2% of net oil revenue goes to the producing state while 3% is for development projects in the producing communities.

But the concerned government institutions have reportedly been violating the provisions.

Early last year, Stephen Dheiu Dau, the chairman of Melut Community told Eye Radio that the county committee has received $3 million in oil shares in two separate installments.

According to the report of the auditor general on the accounts of 3% from 2011 to 2020, the ministry of finance and planning shall ensure transparency and accountability and should proportionately distribute the 3% transfer to the state and communities.