Agak talks achievements at finance ministry
The former minister of finance and planning, Agak Achuil Lual, has identified the reduction of salary arrears as one of the greatest achievements during his tenure.
Agak was relieved in a presidential decree last Thursday evening, a day after President Salva Kiir approved the sale of one cargo of crude oil every month to pay the salaries of civil servants.
In his statement released on Saturday, Agak acknowledged Kiir for the trust he bestowed upon him to serve the nation. He said that despite the economic crisis facing the country, there are achievements he can cite to his name.
“Your Excellency, through your unwavering support, we achieved some achievements amid profound challenges framed by limitations beyond my control.
“I made it a priority, as directed by your Excellency, to reduce salary arrears for our public servants, who have persistently remained resilient despite low and delayed wages,” Agak said.
He added, “Staff in the foreign missions, whose salaries had not been paid for over two and a half years, had their arrears reduced by up to seven months while those of national and state governments had their arrears cleared up to the end of FY 2021/2022.”
However, he acknowledged the challenges related to the liquidity of the local currency against hard currency, adding that the economy bore the brunt of the impacts of COVID-19 and the Ukraine war.
“I know South Sudan’s economy still faces enormous challenges, yet, I must take this opportunity to appreciate my colleagues and all those that helped us realise the achievements we made.”
He appreciated the president and wished the successor minister, Dier Tong Ngor, success in his new tenure.
‘Thanks for the trust’
“Eight months ago, you trusted me with an extraordinary opportunity to serve the people of South Sudan in the Finance docket. I am writing to express my sincerest appreciation for having given me the chance to serve our country under your leadership and guidance,” he said.
“I am confident that the new minister, Dier Tong Ngor, to whom I now pass the button, will steer our country’s economy towards a more sustainable future.’’
The former Governor of the Bank of South Sudan, Moses Makur, was also relieved in the same presidential decree after the U.S. dollar exchange rate hit a new record in the black market. The Sudanese Sudanese Pound (SSP) traded at 665 per dollar.
The economic advisor for the economic cluster, Dr. Abraham Maliet Mamer, said the two leaders were removed by the president to rescue the economy.
“This is one of the interventions that the president has to make simply because the policies they were implementing did not give us good results, so as the head of the state has an interest, he has done it,” Dr. Maliet said.
“Managing and implementing the policies is not a president’s job so he has to bring somebody who is going to manage and implement the right policies.”
Maliet stressed that the ministry and Central Bank must work closely with experts in seeking solutions to the economic crisis.
“To think in a wider term, to call for an economic reform policy development conference so that he brings people in the field to present their papers, then precisely comes up with a concrete recommendation that is implementable,” he said.
“I think because the previous administrators acted… (without consultation), they have been coordinating with the rest of the government.’’
