University of Bahr el Ghazal campus - COURTESY

The Workers Trade Union of the University of Bahr el Ghazal on Friday declared a three-day strike over purported seven-month salary arrears and ticket allowances.

The union chairperson, Rabie Adam Hamed, said the three-day strike which started on Friday, was taken after the group’s 72-hour ultimatum elapsed without being considered by the government.

He told Eye Radio there was no positive response from the National Minister of Finance and Planning up to Thursday.

Mr.Adam said the university workers’ union is demanding unpaid three months’ salaries of April, May and June without increment.

He stated that the Union further demands four months of salary arrears from August, September, October and November according to the new salary increment.

He says the 1,200 workers and academic staff are also asking for three years of unpaid flight tickets and medical coverage.

According to him, the strike will continue for possible one week if their grievances are not heard.

“We as workers of the University of Bahr el Ghazal, are demanding four basic demands, the first demand is the arrears of three months, and the second demand is air tickets,” Adam said from Wau town.

“It (tickets allowance) is supposed to be done since 2020 but it didn’t happen till now, and we are now demanding for three years air tickets. The third demand is medical coverage, and the four demand if the issue of salaries of four months.”

In November, public universities lecturers called on the Finance and Planning Minister to live up to his promise to pay civil servants salaries by disbursing their four-month arrears.