Government Races to End Cash Salary Payments

(JUBA) – Senior accounting officers and Directors General of Administration and Finance from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) met in Juba on Saturday to discuss the implementation of a government resolution requiring all civil servant salaries to be paid through individual bank accounts.

The meeting, held under the guidance of the Ministry of Finance and Planning, focused on ways to improve the timely and secure disbursement of public sector salaries. The transition to banking systems is expected to enhance transparency and reduce delays in payment processing.

Addressing the session, the First Undersecretary for Finance, Hon. Arop Nuoi Arop, called on institutions to fully comply with the directive and actively support staff in opening accounts with commercial banks. He described the reform as essential for streamlining salary payments and aligning with modern public finance management practices.

The Governor of the Bank of South Sudan, Hon. Dr. Addis Ababa Othow, reaffirmed the central bank’s commitment to ensuring liquidity by continuing regular foreign currency auctions to commercial banks. He said this would help stabilise access to cash for civil servants receiving their salaries through banks.

Dr. Othow further emphasised the benefits of building a digital economy, noting that electronic payment systems offer more efficiency and security compared to traditional cash based transactions. He urged all public institutions to promote digital banking by encouraging employees to open bank accounts, saying it would ease the disbursement process and support overall economic development.

Although most public sector salaries in South Sudan have historically been distributed in cash, the move to bank transfers is part of wider reforms aimed at financial accountability and the promotion of cashless transactions.

As of July 2025, the government is encouraging thousands of civil servants across all states and administrative areas to transition to banking channels for receiving their monthly wages. For many public workers, this reform provides a more structured and traceable salary system.

The Ministry of Finance has not released exact timelines for when the policy will become mandatory, but senior officials say the shift is already underway in many government institutions.