Nationwide Discussion on Crude Oil to Pay Public Sector Employees

Episode 2016,   Aug 02, 2022, 06:52 PM

Economist and Managing Director of Ebony Research Centre's Dr Alual Achiek Deng says governments' plan to use over 600 thousand barrels of oil in cash to pay public sector employee salaries is a sustainable solution for as long the price of oil stays above 50 USD per barrel. The government has allocated one shipment of crude oil for payment of civil servants’ salary.
The decision was made during a meeting between President Salva Kiir and key government officials on the economic situation in the country and how to mitigate the rising prices of food commodities in the market, dollar rate and payment of salaries and arrears. The officials include Minister of Presidential Affairs Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, Minister of Finance and Planning Agak Achuil Lual, Minister of Petroleum Puot Kang, Governor of Central Bank Moses Makur Deng and Economic professor, Dr. Lual Achiek. The Minister of Finance, Agak Acuil, was quoted by the presidential media page as saying that one cargo of crude will be earmarked for salaries, and every month that cargo will be sold in form of dollars. The bank of South Sudan will use the dollar to stabilize and maintain the dollar rate in the market as a short-term solution and pay civil servants’ salaries in pounds. 

Listen to the full discussion on Nationwide with Sani Martin here.