News: Wolaita National Movement raises concerns over prolonged salary delays, irregularities for gov’t employees
Addis Abeba – The Wolaita National Movement, an opposition political entity, has voiced apprehensions regarding the protracted delays and irregularities observed in the disbursement of salaries to government personnel within the Wolaita Zone of the South Ethiopia Regional State.
In a statement released on Thursday, the party indicated its ongoing vigilance regarding grievances expressed by civil servants within the Wolaita Zone concerning the non-receipt or partial receipt of their wages.
As per the statement, the salaries scheduled for disbursal at the conclusion of each month have persistently faced delays ranging from 10 to 20 days since the year 2020.
The situation exacerbated between September 2023 and February 2023, during which salaries were fragmented into three installments, with one-third of the total amount deducted on each occasion. Furthermore, in February 2023, only 80% of the designated salaries were disbursed to government employees.
The situation escalated notably in March 2023, when salaries for employees across all government institutions, with the exception of those in Wolaita Soddo City, experienced reductions. Since then, up until April 2024, workers have encountered significant social, economic, and psychological hardships stemming from the irregular and incomplete disbursement of salaries.
The Wolaita National Movement contends that this failure to provide timely and adequate wages constitutes a breach of labor rights, as acknowledged by international standards such as those set forth by the International Labor Organization (ILO), as well as by national and regional legislation.
The party underscores the ramifications of these salary discrepancies across various sectors within the region. It contends that health centers and clinics under city and district administrations in the zone are failing to deliver essential services due to delayed salary payments, consequently depriving vulnerable segments of society of adequate healthcare access.
Furthermore, the statement asserts that over 70% of public schools in the zone have suspended operations since early April as teachers remain unpaid.
The Wolaita National Movement delves into the escalating cost of living in the region, noting significant increases in prices of essential goods, housing rentals, fuel, and food staples. “This surge is attributed to ongoing conflicts, erosion of the rule of law, and political corruption,” reads the statement.
The movement underscores the inhumanity of withholding salaries from government employees who lack alternative sources of income, particularly amid these economic adversities.
The statement asserts that thousands of government employees in the zone have been deprived of an adequate standard of living since 2023, facing severe economic and social hardships due to partial or complete non-payment of wages.
Affected workers, as reported by the party, have encountered challenges in meeting daily needs for themselves and their families, fulfilling rental obligations, and securing loans owing to these wage-related issues. Consequently, some have resorted to selling furniture to sustain their livelihoods.
Civil servants in Wolaita Zone are not the only people facing these challenges.
In June 2022, Addis Standard documented widespread salary delays affecting government employees across 13 districts of the Hadiya Zone in the Central Ethiopia Regional State. This led to protests triggered by non-payment for three consecutive months, resulting in significant financial strain for numerous residents reliant on these salaries for their daily expenses.
Furthermore, in October 2023, government employees in the East Badawacho district of the Hadiya Zone commenced a work stoppage due to unpaid salaries spanning three months. This strike has precipitated the closure of local hospitals, public educational institutions, and governmental offices. AS
