President Kiir Appoints Dr. James Alic Garang as the New Governor of South Sudan Central Bank

By PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd.

Tuesday, 03 October 2023 (PW) — President Kiir made significant changes to the leadership of key financial institutions on Monday, October 2, 2023, reshuffling officials within the Central Bank, Ministry of Finance and Planning, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the National Revenue Authority (NRA).

In a series of presidential decrees announced on state-owned SSBC Monday evening, President Kiir not only appointed Dr. James Alic Garang Lual as the new governor of the Bank of South Sudan but also made changes to the leadership of the NRA and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

In addition to appointing Dr. James Alic Garang as the new governor, President Kiir made changes to the leadership of the BoSS by appointing Samuel Yanga Mikaya as the new First Deputy Governor and Mrs. Nyiel Gordon Kuol as the new Second Deputy Governor. These appointments are expected to bolster the central bank’s efforts to stabilize the economy and maintain currency value.

In another significant change, Hon. Africano Mande, the former Governor of Western Equatoria, was elevated from the position of Deputy Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority (NRA) to the position of Commissioner General. The elevation of Hon. Africano Mande from Deputy Commissioner General to Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority (NRA) indicates a renewed focus on improving revenue collection and management in South Sudan.

The full decrees issued are as follows:

1. Johny Ohisa Damain – Sacked as the governor of Central Bank

2. Dr James Alic Garang Lual – Appointed as the new governor of Central Bank

3. Addis Ababa Othow – Sacked as the first deputy governor of Central Bank

4. Samuel Yanga Mikaya – Appointed as the new first deputy governor of Central Bank

5. John Machiek Achuoth – Sacked as the second deputy governor of Central Bank

6. Nyiel Gordon Kuol – Appointed as the new second deputy governor of Central Bank

7. Athian Diing Athian – Sacked as the Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority (NRA)

8. Africano Mande – Elevated from the position of Deputy Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority (NRA) to the position of Commissioner General

9. Albino Dak Kur – Appointed as the new deputy commissioner general of the National Revenue Authority (NRA)

10. Mary Akech Taban – Sacked as the Undersecretary of Ministry of Trade and Industry

11. Kuol Daniel Ayulo – Relieved as the First Undersecretary of Finance and transferred to the Ministry of Trade and Industry as the new Undersecretary

12. Malual Tap Diu – Appointed as the First Undersecretary of Finance in the Ministry of Finance and Planning

The most notable change is the appointment of Dr. James Alic Garang as the new governor of the Bank of South Sudan, succeeding Johny Ohisa Damian. Dr. James Alic Garang’s appointment as the new governor of the Bank of South Sudan follows his impressive presentation at a recent economic conference in Juba, South Sudan, where he participated as one of the economists.

A South Sudanese native, Dr. James Alic Garang is a co-founder and scholar at The Sudd Institute, focusing on macroeconomics, development economics, financial sector, and financial inclusion. He has a distinguished background, including internships at the African Development Bank in Tunisia, serving as a lead evaluator on the Banking Sector during the “Comprehensive Evaluation of the Government of South Sudan, 2006-2010,” consultancy work with the World Bank, and board membership in charitable organizations and academic affiliations. He is also a former McNair Scholar and a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon.

Dr. Alic Garang holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and currently serves as a Senior Advisor to the Executive Director at the IMF Executive Board in Washington, DC. In his inaugural address, Governor Garang laid out his ambitious vision to modernize the Central Bank and improve its transparency and efficiency.

During the swearing-in ceremony, President Kiir emphasized the importance of these appointments as part of the government’s plan to tackle the nation’s economic issues. The Minister of Presidential Affairs, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, described the appointments as strategic, while the Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Barnaba Bak Chol, pledged to work closely with the new officials to transform the country’s economy.

In his first public statement after assuming office, Dr. James Alic Garang expressed his commitment to modernizing the Central Bank and enhancing transparency. He emphasized the importance of transparency, effective communication, and seeking greater autonomy for the institution.

“One is that as management, we will always collaborate in the interest of advancing the mandate of this institution, and the second point that I would like to put across is that as we look forward, a pledge along with my team that we are going to emphasize the arrangement of running a modern Central Bank. The modern central bank is underlined by a number of key pillars, and one of those has already been mentioned – the problem of increased transparency toward whatever we do. As a bank, it should be one of our hallmarks, along with the need to have effective communication. Something I believe that the bank has already done, but under this leadership, we will pick it up. And the last point that I add, which is not our own here at the bank but also cuts across the board, is the element of seeking greater autonomy,” said Dr James Alic Garang in his maiden speech as the new governor of the Central Bank of South Sudan (BOSS).

Hon. Samuel Yanga Mikaya, the new First Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, pledged full support for Governor Garang in addressing the bank’s challenges and emphasized the need to adapt to challenges for success.

“I know that the new Central Bank governor cannot do anything without all of us, and therefore, we are going to pledge our support to give him all our support for the success of this institution. We will move forward; challenges are there, and if there are no challenges, there will be no need for us, but we will get used to them,” said Hon. Samuel Yanga Mikaya, the First Deputy Governor of the Central Bank.

The changes in leadership come at a time when South Sudan faces economic challenges, including high inflation and the devaluation of the South Sudanese Pound (SSP) against the dollar. President Kiir’s decision to appoint Dr. James Alic Garang reflects a commitment to bringing in experienced professionals to lead the country’s financial institutions during a crucial period of economic transformation. President Kiir has urged the newly appointed officials to collaborate and address these challenges to improve the livelihoods of the people.

As Governor Alic Garang takes charge of the central bank, both South Sudanese citizens and the international community will be closely monitoring how his vision for modernization and transparency translates into tangible improvements in the nation’s financial sector. The newly appointed officials have a formidable task ahead, but their collective efforts hold the promise of a brighter and more prosperous economic future for South Sudan.

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