Man counts a bundle of 50 SSP notes. [Photo: ELRHA]

Labor Minister James Hoth Mai has told the national legislature his institution is working to establish minimum wage standards for employees operating within the private sector in the country.

Mai was reacting to a lawmaker’s comment regarding the prevailing wage gaps experienced by South Sudanese workers across private sector relative to foreigners. This was during a parliamentary sitting on Monday.

He highlighted a critical void within the country’s labor landscape: the absence of minimum wage policies within both domestic and international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the private sector.

He said this regulatory vacuum has permitted entities to pay their employees without the minimum wage standards for employees or intervention of governmental authorities.

Minister Mai also stated that in NGOs and private sector, older individuals are engaged in employment, contravening established labor laws.

He said his ministry is actively engaged in developing legislations aimed at establishing minimum wage standards.

The impending policy initiative seeks to safeguard the rights of workers throughout the country, ensuring they receive fair and just compensation for their contributions to the economy.

The minister said that he is diligently drafting a comprehensive bill addressing minimum wage standards, which will be promptly presented to parliament for deliberation and approval.

“Honorable Deng, you asked about minimum wage, yes I agree with you we have a problem there and we are working on minimum wages we have never had a law on that,” he said.

“It is true the wages are not the same our people are under pay, but everything needs law we are working on that law it will come to you here it will not be done outside.”

He said the minimum wages bill underscores the government’s unwavering commitment to rectifying wage disparities and fostering a more equitable labor environment across diverse sectors of the economy.

Furthermore, Mai emphasized on accurate data regarding the size and composition of the private sector workforce in South Sudan.

He lamented the lack of comprehensive surveys or official statistics capturing this vital information, highlighting the challenge of formulating evidence-based policies without a clear understanding of the labor market dynamics.