JUBA – Unions representing thousands of national employees across South Sudan’s oil sector, private companies, non-governmental organizations, diplomatic missions and international organizations have threatened to boycott the National Social Insurance Fund (NSIF) First National Engagement Symposium, citing unresolved governance, legal and implementation concerns.
In a joint letter dated 21 July 2026 and addressed to Labour Minister Anthony Lino Makana, the unions formally notified the ministry that they would not participate in the symposium scheduled for 28 July at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Juba unless a series of demands are met.
The letter was signed by Deng Gabriel Matur, Chairperson of the DPOC National Staff Union (DNSU), Gabriel John Gattour, Chairperson of the South Sudan Workers Trade Union for Petroleum and Mining (SSWTUPM), Victor Vojoki Caesar, Chairperson of the SPOC Cooperative and Society, and Jacob Atem Anyieth, Chairperson of the National Employees Union of South Sudan (NEUSS).
According to the unions, while they support the establishment of a “credible, transparent and sustainable national social insurance scheme” under the National Social Insurance Fund Act, 2023, they believe the current implementation of the NSIF is “legally and procedurally deficient.”
The unions said they had previously raised their concerns through a letter submitted on 26 May 2026 by employees of the Joint Operating Companies (JOCs), as well as through joint public statements and two notices of intention to sue. They argued that the Ministry of Labour has yet to address those grievances.
“The unions aver the convening of this symposium as untimely and irregular, since the Ministry of Labour has not addressed substantive legal, governance, management and implementation concerns repeatedly raised by employees and employers,” the letter states.
A major point of contention is the composition of the NSIF Board. The unions challenged the continued participation of the Social Insurance Beneficiaries Union (SIBU) and Bol Andrew Wieu, saying they were not nominated by what they describe as legitimate representatives of contributors to the fund.
“We assert that such representation vitiates the confidence of prospective contributors and undermines the legitimacy of the Fund,” the unions wrote.
They further argued that a compulsory social insurance scheme derives its legitimacy “not solely from statute and executive authority, but from the informed consent and trust of the contributors whose compulsory remittances will sustain the fund.”
The unions also accused the government of rushing the implementation process without adequate consultation, claiming that “the majority of employees and employers we represent do not recognize the present NSIF formation and procedures.”
They further criticized what they described as the exclusion of legitimate contributors from decision-making and alleged “intimidating conduct towards the media that post our contents on NSIF.”
As conditions for participating in the symposium and engaging with the fund, the unions demanded the cancellation of Public Circular No. 5/2026 pending resolution of the outstanding legal and governance issues. They also called for the reinstatement or continued enforcement of Public Circular No. 03/2010, arguing that it provides sufficient protection for employees and employers until consensus is reached on the implementation of the NSIF.
In addition, the unions urged the Ministry of Labour to formally respond to their previous petitions, statements and legal notices, and to establish “an inclusive, transparent and participatory consultative mechanism” before proceeding with further implementation of the social insurance scheme.
They also demanded the removal of SIBU and Bol Andrew Wieu from the NSIF Board and their replacement with representatives legitimately nominated by employees and employers.
The unions stressed that any employee, employer or representative who attends the 28 July symposium would do so strictly in a personal capacity and should not be regarded as representing the collective position of the national employees, employers or their unions.
