Vice President in charge of the Economic Cluster, Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel, has directed the immediate settlement of pension arrears amounting to SSP43 billion and USD75 million, accumulated between 2011 and 2023.
The directive followed a Monday meeting to tackle challenges
in the public service, focusing on pensions, payroll reform, and administrative
integrity.
“This will bring long-overdue relief to retirees who
dedicated their lives to public service at home and in foreign missions,"
read a statement from the Office of the Vice President and Chair of the
Economic Cluster.
Among those in attendance were Minister of Public Service
Hon. Dak Duop Bichiok, Chairman of the South Sudan Pension Fund Board of
Trustees Mr. Angelo Deng Rehan, and the Fund’s General Manager Mr. Edward Yier
Yier.
Mel said pension administration is a national duty that must
be done with fairness, transparency, and respect for senior citizens.
He also reinforced a standing directive from the Ministry of
Finance mandating all public employees to open bank accounts.
“He called for the full implementation of the Ministry of
Finance’s directive requiring all government employees to open bank accounts, a
vital step toward payroll transparency and eliminating irregularities,” the
statement continued.
The cluster announced a partnership with the World Bank to
launch a nationwide biometric registration system at national and state levels
to improve accuracy and accountability in civil service records and payments.