Yemeni Government Solves Salary Issue in Taiz

A Houthi militant stands on a wall in Sanaa, Yemen September 5, 2016. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
A Houthi militant stands on a wall in Sanaa, Yemen September 5, 2016. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
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Yemeni Government Solves Salary Issue in Taiz

A Houthi militant stands on a wall in Sanaa, Yemen September 5, 2016. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
A Houthi militant stands on a wall in Sanaa, Yemen September 5, 2016. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah

Jeddah– The Yemeni government has succeeded in solving the problem of unpaid salaries of Taiz civil servants and the Ministry of Finance confirmed that the payrolls will be sent out on Wednesday.

Deputy Finance Minister Mansour al-Butani stated that the workers in the public sector in Taiz would receive their paychecks after all procedures had been executed.

Butani told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi ordered that workers be paid a month ago, but the delay was due to bureaucratic issues.

"President Hadi considered Taiz a liberated area and ordered the issuance of salaries after he signed the delivery of salaries a month ago. The problem was the lack of finances and that had been solved," he added.

The deputy explained that a team had been assigned to issue sums of money from the National Bank estimated to be about $15.2 million. The acting manager of the National Bank signed the check and the staff was ordered to cash it out and deliver salaries to all employees in Taiz.

He added that employees at the education sector received about $12 million of all the amount and the remaining sums will be given to the executive offices including the radio station and al-Thawra newspaper.

The money was wired to al-Kuraimi Bank, and Butani said that now all employees can receive their salaries.

In other news, National Army troops announced that 12 Houthi insurgents and troops loyal to former President Ali Abdallah Saleh were killed during a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on the border of Baqem directorate, east of Saada governorate.

Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA) reported SeptemberNet site saying that commander of al-Raboua area, believed to be an Iranian national, was killed during the raid.

Sources reported that commander of offensive operations, dubbed Abu al-Karrar al-Saadi, was chairing a meeting in the region when the air raid killed him as well as ten other militants.

Meanwhile, a military source in Alab axis stated that since early September, over 50 insurgents were killed while they were trying to infiltrate towards National Army posts in Sabhtal mountain and al-Khazan Hill, the Black Hills in Mandabah, al-Shaer mountain and Khashm al-Bakrah in Alab Axis north Saada.



Syria Announces 200 Percent Public Sector Wage, Pension Increase

FILE PHOTO: Bundles of Syrian currency notes are stacked up as an employee counts money at Syrian central bank, in Damascus,Syria, January 12, 2025. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Bundles of Syrian currency notes are stacked up as an employee counts money at Syrian central bank, in Damascus,Syria, January 12, 2025. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi/File Photo
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Syria Announces 200 Percent Public Sector Wage, Pension Increase

FILE PHOTO: Bundles of Syrian currency notes are stacked up as an employee counts money at Syrian central bank, in Damascus,Syria, January 12, 2025. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Bundles of Syrian currency notes are stacked up as an employee counts money at Syrian central bank, in Damascus,Syria, January 12, 2025. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi/File Photo

Syria announced on Sunday a 200 percent hike in public sector wages and pensions, as it seeks to address a grinding economic crisis after the recent easing of international sanctions.

Over a decade of civil war has taken a heavy toll on Syria's economy, with the United Nations reporting more than 90 percent of its people live in poverty.

In a decree published by state media, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a "200 percent increase to salaries and wages... for all civilian and military workers in public ministries, departments and institutions.”

Under the decree, the minimum wage for government employees was raised to 750,000 Syrian pounds per month, or around $75, up from around $25, AFP reported.

A separate decree granted the same 200 percent increase to retirement pensions included under current social insurance legislation.

Last month, the United States and European Union announced they would lift economic sanctions in a bid to help the country's recovery.

Also in May, Syria's Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh said Qatar would help it pay some public sector salaries.

The extendable arrangement was for $29 million a month for three months, and would cover "wages in the health, education and social affairs sectors and non-military" pensions, he had said.

Barnieh had said the grant would be managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and covered around a fifth of current wages and salaries.

Syria has some 1.25 million public sector workers, according to official figures.