Monday, March 18, 2024, dawned with swearing-in of Hon. Awow Chuang Deng as new minister of finance and planning, but above all, he needs peace of mind, to execute roles bestowed by the head of the state.
As the 15th Minister in the chronology, since the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) era, implying that, managing this docket has been thorny, like holding a bunch of Roses.
Hon. Awow has come with riches of longtime experience in various disciplines of management but unfavorable working environment, surrounded with individual bent to bring one down can create mental instability.
It has been a culture in the country that the day one is appointed, other lobbyist groups begin to advocate for replacement of the very appointee. At the very reception of one taking office, they start presenting candidates claiming, would perform better.
This ideology will only lead to brain strain on our intellectuals, hence impede creativity.
Hon. Awow, has succeeded another brilliant brain but both, come at a demanding moment, where citizens expect miracles. Day in, day out, every citizen wakes up with a million questions that no individual can answer.
On the table, awaiting Hon. Awow are questions of when salaries will be paid in full, when US dollar exchange rate will drop and also commodity prices.
But time and again, this outlet has ever stated that some of these bottlenecks are never the making of an individual minister in the chronology but both geographical and historical.
Who do we blame for the current heatwaves experienced in the country, for instance? Likewise, the economic heat, though not linked to persons, could partly be due to the protracted civil unrest the brought the country to independence.
In about 21 years, the South did not engage in economic activities as able-bodied persons busied in fighting liberation war, even after, not much has been to revive production, to date.
Sporadic conflicts in the rural areas render supposed productive land docile, due to threats on lives of prospective users, is another factor to our current predicament.
To make a long story short, blame no one for what prevails in the country but rather, let’s join hands with the new finance minister in finding solutions. Blame game will only lead us to pray for removal of a leader after the other, without end.
Leaders come, leaders go, but one in a positive deserves respect, the other who has gone must be appreciated.
Together, for peace.