Dr. Baak Barnaba Chol, the new Minister of Finance and Planning speaks in Juba. (Photo: Obaj Okuj)

The Minister of Finance said lecturers at the public universities in the country will receive a one-month salary next week following strikes and threats of strike in recent days.

Early in February, employees of the University of Bahr el Ghazal declared strike over non-payment of their five months of salary arrears.

Also, the Academic Staff Association at Upper Nile University just issued a document threating to go on strike if the government fails to pay four months of salary arrears.

On Friday, the five vice-chancellors of the public universities met Finance Minister Dr. Bak Barnaba Chol and Vice President Hussein Abdelbagi Akol on the issue.

In a press statement, Finance Minister Bak, attributed the delay in paying salaries to the economic hardships of the country.

He then announced the one-month salary for all the lecturers and employees of the five public universities.

“We know the arias are now four months and one month different from June. I have told them within a short time, not more than two weeks, we’ll be able to pay one month and continue to struggle,” Bak said, speaking to SSBC.

Dr. Bak said the meeting also explored ways to improve the welfare of academic staff as well as student accommodations.

“We have deliberated not only on the arrears of salaries, but also the conditions of the universities, the feeding of students, their student’s welfare, the welfare of academic staff.”

“We discussed how the government should support the activities of universities and elevate the living standard of teaching staff and taking care of the students in the country.”

Civil servants and members of the organized forces in South Sudan are now heading to the sixth month without receiving their salaries.