President Salva Kiir chairs a meeting with governors in Juba on Tue, 4 Feb, 2020 | Credit | Maal Maker

Former constitutional post-holders of the defunct 32 states and the Abyei Administrative Area are demanding the national government pay them off their dues.

The former officials say they were promised post-service benefits but have not been paid by the Ministry of Finance for over 3 months now.

In February, President Salva Kiir relieved all the 32 Governors, Advisors and Commissioners after disbanding the states.

Vice President, Dr. James Wani Igga then formed a high-level committee to organize all constitutional post-holders and civil servants affected by the return to the ten states.

According to the order, the committee in the states will manage the finances and assets of the former 32 states.

It is also mandated to approve payments or withdrawals against accounts of their respective states, but not to sign contracts on behalf of the state.

Some governors, advisors and commissioners who lost their jobs said they were promised a send-off package by the President.

They are demanding a hefty $60,000 for each governor and $40,000 for State Advisors, Ministers and Commissioners.

This week, some former governors met with officials at the Ministry of Finance in Juba.

They criticized the Ministry of Finance for delaying to pay what they call “their compensation package.”

“As a former commissioner, I was released by the President on the 16th February this year, we are all 32 states plus Abyei, and then there was a decree also by the President that all former constitutional post-holders must be compensated [with] post benefits,” the former Commissioner who preferred we withhold his name said.

The former Commissioner added that he received 58,000 South Sudanese Pounds as monthly salary in May 2020.

“We are requesting that our packages be released as directed by the President…we just need our money,” he concluded.