Baqubah Receives Monthly Salary Payment

Photo By Spc. Kirby Rider | An Iraqi army soldier moves a bale of Iraqi dinars from a delivery truck to a storage facility in Baqubah, Iraq, Aug. 22.  

IRAQ

08.25.2007

Story by Spc. Kirby Rider 

115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

by Pvt. Kirby Rider
115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Government workers and retirees in Baqubah, Iraq, will be paid for another month thanks to the Iraqi army and coalition forces hard work and dedication.

The Iraqi army, with logistical support from coalition forces, moved more than 49 billion Iraqi dinars, roughly 38 million American dollars, on Aug. 22 from the Iraqi Central Bank in Baghdad to Baqubah. The shipment of money contains the salary and pension payments for 1.3 million residents, roughly 70 percent of the people living in Diyala province. The money movement is part of an ongoing operation to restore money back to the province.

Originally, the central bank was responsible for the shipments, but they ceased shipping in March of 2006 due to the constant danger involved. After months of no money coming in, the Iraqi army and coalition forces started picking up the money and delivering it to the bank in Baqubah.

This month's shipment is the first time the Iraqi army has transported the funds to Baqubah with no U.S. security elements.

There is a lot of danger moving the money across Iraq. "Al-Qaida in Iraq will try to stop the shipments so they can disrupt the government," said Master Sgt. Arnold Groehler, the Diyala province banking representative, "If the money doesn't make it, the Diyala provincial government shuts down," Groehler continued.

Previously, the bank in Baqubah has been attacked as many as three or four times per day, Groehler said, because al-Qaida in Iraq realizes the funds are necessary for the government to operate.

The distribution of salaries and pensions is a complicated event. The process starts when the bank manager in Baqubah calls the central bank to request money. He then receives a letter of authorization signed by higher authority. After the letter of authorization is signed, the money is counted by the bank manager and the central bank vault manager. Once the money is accounted for, it is loaded into metal boxes on the back of delivery trucks and then driven to Baqubah, where it is stored for surrounding banks to pick up the money.

The day the money arrived in Baqubah, close to 100 Iraqis lined up inside of the Governance Center in Baqubah to receive the money owed them. The availability of money plays a significant role in the stabilization of Iraq, American officials said, this is due to the fact Iraq's economy is largely a cash based.

• Date Taken: 08.25.2007
• Date Posted: 08.25.2007 01:10
• Story ID: 11973
• Location: IQ