While the armed conflict in Sudan between the military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues with no end in sight, employees are fighting another type of war to secure their livelihoods.
They haven’t received their salaries for nearly five months since the outbreak of the war.
Some employees have confirmed that they live in dire circumstances, with some resorting to borrowing and receiving assistance.
One of the employees at a Sudanese government university stated that he had not received his salary for five months, even though the Ministry of Finance promised that it would pay April and May salaries.
“When we inquired with the university administration, they informed us that the Ministry of Finance cannot provide the amount at the moment because it is substantial,” he added.
He also explained that the salaries of professors and doctors are the highest, reaching a minimum of 350,000 Sudanese pounds (525 dollars at the official exchange rate), which is a significant amount that the Ministry of Finance finds difficult to provide.
A different retired employee received notice just days before the outbreak of the armed conflict indicating that her April salary would be deposited. However, the fighting started, and she couldn’t withdraw her monthly pension.
She added that she managed her affairs during the past five months using the end-of-service benefits that she received last year, saying, “Now, we are managing our situation with the help of some well-off family members.”
It’s worth noting that the government of Khartoum State announced on Sunday the start of disbursing salaries to employees in the state and in cash for residents in the Al-Jazira state in central Sudan and through the Bankak application for those who moved to other states.
Following the outbreak of armed conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF in mid-April, major private sector companies announced an open-ended leave without pay for employees, citing the security situation in the country.