Municipal staff in Ninawa province have been lining up to receive back-payment of their salaries, which they had not received for 21 months while the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) was in control of their areas.

The move comes as a huge relief, local government workers told Diyaruna.

Municipal employee Saeed al-Afri said his dues, which amount to more than 15 million Iraqi dinars ($12,000), will be spent on rebuilding his house in eastern Mosul, part of which was destroyed in the fighting.

Another employee, Marwan Abdullah, said most of his salary would go towards the repayment of debts, and to purchase items his wife and children need.

"They suffered from real deprivation under the rule of ISIL," he told Diyaruna.

Ninawa municipalities director Abdul Qadir Ahmed told Diyaruna his department distributed the salaries of 21 months in one installment to 518 employees who resumed work at the province's municipal departments after ISIL was ousted.

"These salaries are their natural entitlement and not a gift from anyone," he stated.

The salaries were dispensed with assistance from the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Municipalities, which released the funds without delay, he said.

"The municipal department will release the salaries of each employee who returns to work from now on, provided that he commits to official attendance and after verifying his security status," Ahmed said.

Security clearance required

Ninawa education director Mohammed al-Tahhan told Diyaruna that security clearances are the top condition for the release of accrued salaries as soon as an employee resumes work.

"Ninawa province currently has more than 17,000 educators, teachers and employees who resumed their work, and only 6,500 of them received their salaries," he said.

The others are waiting to receive security clearances, he added.

"The Ministry of Finance does not mind the release of all salaries saved for employees at once, but the delay in the granting of security clearances is what hampers the release so far," al-Tahhan said.

The distribution of salaries will help revitalise the province's education sector and will encourage the teachers to maintain attendance at a time when the Directorate of Education needs the efforts of all its employees, he said.

"The benefit of releasing salaries will not only improve the educational sector, but will be reflected positively on the economic conditions and the purchasing power of citizens in general in the province," al-Tahhan said.

Money flowing into Ninawa's markets will improve all economic sectors, which will in turn help the province achieve security and stability, he said.