Western Equatoria borrows funds for Amadi to resolve Tambura crisis

By Johnson Juma Batal

Western Equatoria State dived into the coffers of former Amadi State to dish out funds to help in resolving a huge crisis in Tambura County.

The State Finance Minister, William Baiki, said the national government delayed its support following findings by a committee formed in Juba to resolve the crisis.

The situation was critical and needed immediate intervention and maintenance of the security situation, Baiki told Juba Echo by phone.

The crisis in Tambura which began in June last year and raged on for months left over 200 people dead and displaced nearly 100,000 others.

The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan in September described the deaths as massacres sponsored by SPLA-IO and SSPDF forces in Tambura.

The 30 million SSP was meant for Amadi State, arriving late in Yambio after the state was dissolved.

“As soon as we get the money, I think in the next one or two months we are going to finish paying the following amount that have just being used,” Baiki said.

Baiki also noted that despite a decree by President Salva Kiir on restructuring civil servants’ salaries, payments to the State aren’t reflecting the changes.

He said once the government begins remitting the new scales, all civil servants will get their dues.