South Sudan Bank governor wins extraordinary effort award

February 15, 2024 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s central bank governor, James Alic Garang has won an “extraordinary effort” award for his commitment to improve the country’s economic situation.

Garang, a US-educated South Sudanese with a Doctorate of Philosophy in Economics was appointed in October 2023 and has embarked on an ambitious plan to modernize the central bank and enhance transparency.

He told the public after taking oath of office he would work collaboratively with his team to educate the public about the importance of transparency, effective communication, and seeking greater autonomy for the institution.

Garang has held several academic positions before his assignment.

He was a senior advisor to the executive director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board in Washington, was a former Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Social Studies at the Upper Nile University, and a senior economist with the Ebony Center for Strategic Studies.

Garang undertook field visits to educate, and create awareness among government officials, private and public sectors, and members of the general public of the core functions of the bank, its mandate, and policy approach to addressing governance aspects of the bank and for improving the welfare of the staff.

These efforts drew him admiration and recognition as the first sitting governor to undertake several field visits to states and other locations where the central bank had opened up branches in the country.

Garang had visited Malakal, Yei, Rumbek, Wau, Kuajok, and Aweil before heading to Bor where he was surprised with the award. He received an extraordinary reception in Aweil, where the state governor, Tong Akeen Ngor, speaker of the state legislative Assembly, Achol William Amoi, and cabinet members lined up at the airport with gifts for him and members of his accompanying delegation.

The motives behind the visit, according to Garang were to familiarize himself with the situation on the ground and to listen to staff of the bank and the authorities.

This, he said, allows him with the visiting team to get local perspectives.

The award presented by the mayor of Bor town drew mixed reactions from South Sudanese commentators on social media and opinion leaders across the political, academic, and social spectrum, as well as from the rest of the world, with some preferring a decline of the governor in honor of his predecessors who did not get the opportunity to receive such a recognition when they were at service.

While others saw it as a criticism of the performance of the predecessors, many argued that the new governor’s approach to visit all the field offices demonstrated a willingness to include local perspectives in the monetary policy direction and governance of the bank.

Garang said he did not have any prior knowledge of the award.

“ I never knew the mayor before. That was the first time I saw him. And that was their initiative”, he told Sudan Tribune when asked about the award.

Ngor Deng Matem, a journalist who accompanied the governor Garang during the visit described the reception as highly well organized, representing all segments of the Jonglei population.

“The governor of Central Bank, Hon. Dr.James Alic Garang went with the national members of parliament. There was Honourable Maker Thiong, Honourable Deng Dau Deng Malek, Honourable Timothy, and another legislator from Pibor. There was speaker of Jonglei was there with the governor of Jonglei. There was a community leadership represented by Dr. Angok Gordon Kuol, Bor community chairman. Everyone was represented. One elder from the Bor community rose and said the road from Pakwau should be named after Governor James Alic Garang for his extraordinary effort. He has built a wall fence for the branch of the Bank of South Sudan in Bor town and other good things he has done in a very short time since becoming a governor. This is seen as a good thing, a development in the area. So, they gave him a bull called Mabil and was called Alic Mabil straight away. They also gave him a milking cow as it is their tradition that a bull is not given without a cow accompanying it”, explained Deng.

South Sudan’s former acting minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Deng Dau Malek preferred naming the road either after the retired bishop of Anglican Nathaniel Garang or other prominent leaders of the area like former Sudanese vice president Abel Alier Kwai, senior presidential adviser Kuol Manyang Juuk.

He further suggested other names like Kerubino Kuanyin Bol and William Nyuon Bany, all former founding members, and leaders of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) who rebelled from the Sudanese army in 1983, leading to the formation of the movement.

“Renaming the road from Pakwau- the central bank branch in Bor after Dr. James Alic Garang, the governor of the central bank was not a good idea from Mayor John Tiopich Achieck, the mayor of Bor municipal council, Jongeli state. if the mayor also needs to rename the road, then it should be one of the veterans like Abel Alier, Kuol Manyang, Retired bishop Nathaniel Garang, and more. Or if there is political motivation then name it with the name of the seating governor Hon. Denay J. Chagor,” Malek wrote.

He added, “Also, we have a local governor act that should be first consulted. I am not against it but just putting my opinion like other citizens of Jonglei state”.

(ST)