By William Madouk and Mamer Abraham
President Salva Kiir, in a whirlwind Monday evening series of surprise decrees made mega shifts and changes in the Central Bank, with a young blood taking the helm.
In a series of decrees, the president dropped Mr. Johny Ohisa Damain from the top, replacing him with Dr. James Alic Garang as governor of the Central Bank.
In another decree, Mr. Addis Ababa Othow (in picture above) is relieved from being the first deputy governor of the Central Bank, while Mr. Samuel Yanga Mikaya takes over as the new first deputy governor of Central Bank.
Mr. John Machiek Achuoth, in a separate decree, is relieved as the second deputy governor of Central Bank, while Nyiel Gordon Kuol is appointed as a successor.
Athian Diing Athian (above) has also been affected by the Monday decree as the Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority (NRA).
Africano Mande has been elevated from the position of Deputy Commissioner General of the National Revenues Authority (NRA) to replace his former boss as the Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority.
Albino Dak Kur, take over as the new deputy commissioner general of the National Revenue Authority (NRA).
Meanwhile, Mary Akech Taban has also been sacked as the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Kuol Daniel Ayulo has been relieved as the First Undersecretary of Finance and transferred to the Ministry of Trade and Industry as the new Undersecretary, while Malual Tap Diu has been appointed as First Undersecretary of Finance in the Ministry of Finance and Planning.
Who is Mr. James Alic Garang?
A brief biography that No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper obtained indicates that James Alic Garang is a co-founder and scholar at The Sudd Institute. His areas of interest include macroeconomics, development economics, financial sector, and financial inclusion.
He has in the past participated in a host of academic and professional undertakings, including internships at the African Development Bank in Tunisia (2009-2010), as a lead evaluator on the Banking Sector during the “Comprehensive Evaluation of the Government of South Sudan, 2006-2010”, a consultant with the World Bank (2013-2014), and a board member serving on a number of charitable organizations and academic affiliations.
A former McNair Scholar, and a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, James holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
A former Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Economic & Social Studies at Upper Nile University and a Senior Economist with the Ebony Center for Strategic Studies, he is currently a Senior Advisor to the Executive Director at the IMF Executive Board in Washington, DC.
He is the author of many academic papers published both globally and locally.
Expectations
Just as the news of his appointment spread, social media is awash with congratulatory messages, saying the latter would modify a no-honeymoon bank docket.
As South Sudan is on an economic trajectory, all eyes are on the incoming Central Bank governor, Dr. Alic Garang.
He is looked at as one to salvage the volatile exchange rate to severe the country’s currency from downfall, and arrest the runaway inflation and ailing economy.
As of Tuesday, the Central Bank’s official exchange rate stands at 1,029 per dollar, but in the black market, one dollar sells at SSP 1,030.
Mr. Alic Garang, who is a senior economist and an academician, seems to have all it takes to get the job done.
However, the question remains if Mr. Alic will close the gaps that his predecessors failed to fill as they scuffled with the severe downfall of SSP and unstable exchange rate. Only time will tell, as he is yet to lay his blueprints.
However, a senior economist, Prof. Abraham Matoch, who is also vice chancellor for Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology, when contacted for comment on the recent reshuffles at the financial dockets said the incessant change will not yield fruit.
“The frequent changes in financial institutions and institutions of revenue are instability,” Matoch told No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper.
Meanwhile, Mr. Galdino Ochan Ojok, the executive director of South Sudanese Network for Democracy & Election or SSuNDE said inherited issues derailing the economy should have been addressed rather than constant changes
“Inherent issues that affect our economy should have been addressed, not just changes, changes don’t do anything. It brings the same people, the same people will do the same things that their predecessors have been doing,” he said.
Mr. Ojok lamented that the country has undergone serious issues to do with the corruption or embezzlement of public funds, adding that money could have been used to revive other sectors.
He argued that the new governor would not do anything although he has papers, asserting that his predecessor also has papers and was awarded by renowned international bodies as the best-performing governor.
“So even the new one who is coming with these papers, I’m sure we will see the same treatment and the same fate,” Ojok exclaimed.
Johnny Ohisa was appointed the governor of the Bank of South Sudan in August 2022 replacing his predecessor Moses Makur Deng.
Appreciation
Incoming 2nd deputy governor of central Bank, Nyiel Gordon Kuol/Courtesy photo
Outgoing governor of the Bank of South Sudan (BoSS), Johnny Ohisa Damian, has hailed President Salva Kiir Mayardit for appointing Ms. Nyiel Gordon as the 2nd deputy governor of BoSS.
The former bank governor says the decision was a demonstration of gender balance and women’s representation in the country’s top leadership.
“On a special note, I would like to commend you on your commitment to gender equality and diversity by appointing Hon. Nyiel Gordon as the second Deputy Governor of the Central Bank. This is a historic milestone and shows the country’s top leadership’s emancipation of women,” he stated in a congratulatory message extended to the No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper.
“It is a clear signal that your government is committed to empowering women and ensuring that they have a full and equal role in the development of the country,” he continued.
According to Ohisa, Nyiel’s appointment will be a beacon of hope for women to develop careers in economics and finance.
“I hope Hon. Nyiel’s appointment will inspire other women to pursue careers in economics and finance, and this will also communicate a clear message to the regional and international community that South Sudan is a country that is open to business and gender-sensitive,” he underscored.
Ohisa was relieved from his position as the governor of the Bank of South Sudan (BoSS) in a Monday evening decree and was replaced with James Alic Garang.