The government has pledged to settle the accumulated $10 million hotel arrears to allow peace partners continue their stay in various hotels in Juba.

The Chairperson of National Transitional Committee Tut Gatluak said in a meeting held in Juba that the government will pay the hotel accommodation arrears within few days.

Gatluak requested the hotel managers and companies to be patient as they wait on NTC office to work out the modalities to settle the debts.

 The Head Secretariat of National Transitional Committee (NTC) Stephen Wiw said the hotel managers contributed towards the implementation of the peace agreement even as he promised to resolve the matters as soon as possible.

South Sudan hotel manager Mel Garang confirmed that the chairperson of the NTC had requested them not to lock out the peace partners.

Currently, there are around 3,400 peace partners staying in different hotels in Juba since 2019.

Last week, nine hotels threatened to evict the peace partners. They gave the government five days to clear the arrears.

In a letter dated January 5, 2021, the hotels accused the NTC of disregarding their letters authored on November 2, and November 3; where they frantically asked for payment of their dues.

‘’…it is very clear that our hotels/apartment offices had clearly informed your Office of the Chairperson of National Transitional Committee (NTC) and Presidential Advisor for Security Affairs on the demands of accommodation arrears that had accrued and still accruing to or above USD 10 million without plans for payment,’’ the letter partly read.

The hotels decried shrunken revenue as a result of delayed payments. Thus, the managers said they could be forced to resort to layoff of workers because they cannot keep pace with the financial obligation.

The affected hotels include, Juba Crown Hotel, Royal Hotel, Radas Hotel, Red Ocean Hotel, Referanda Apartment, Astek Apartment, South Sudan Hotel, World Focus Hotel and James Hotel.