JUBA – South Sudan’s government on Wednesday acknowledged the presence of “ghost workers” on its payroll, pledging to address the issue through a biometric payment system.
Justice Minister Ruben Madol Arol confirmed the existence of fictitious names, individuals deceased for years, and relatives replacing deceased employees on the payroll.
He warned this practice hinders critical service delivery.
“We have identified fictitious names, people who died years ago still on the payroll, and a practice of replacing deceased individuals with their relatives,” Arol stated at the opening session of a civil servant workshop in Juba yesterday.
Agok Makur, Deputy Finance Minister, announced the implementation of a biometric system to eliminate ghost workers.
“The government prioritizes reforming public financial management and strengthening human resource management for efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity,” Makur said. “The biometric system is part of this policy.”
Public Service Minister Dak Duop Bichiok reiterated the government’s commitment to cleaning up the payroll and establishing a more responsive public sector.
He added that the World Bank is supporting the reform efforts.
I urged the government to pension for deed government Workers, you can not stop the deceased from payrole without giving his/her rights.