Governor inaugurates Nile Commercial Bank in S. Sudan’s Torit
By Isaac Vuni
March 10, 2007 (TORIT) — “I am extremely satisfied for realizing my cherish dream of setting up a bank for people of Eastern Equatoria State, accomplished by Nile Commercial Bank (NCB), said Governor Aloisio Ojetuk after the inauguration of the NCB here today.
As we celebrate the official inauguration of Nile Commercial Bank Branch in Torit, I urge all people in the state to support and promote the NCB by buying shares and also depositing their money in NCB custody.
He said NCB was initiated and established under SPLM/A administration before the signing of the CPA on January 9th 2005.However, Ojetuk said then there were many questions raised by NGOs operating under SPLM/A administrative area such as, “Bank in the bush this people must be joking!” What security do they have for its operation? What about guarantees for the share holders?
Nevertheless, Ojetuk say the movement has clear directives and the former leader of the movement, Dr. John Garang de Mabior, committed himself to all friends and partners of SPLM/A to go ahead of setting a bank that would be the future bank of the people of southern Sudan. Therefore, advised those individuals and organizations that do not want to support the idea, to freely leave the territory of SPLM/A administrative areas.
World Vision International organization was one of those who opted to quit with a warning to SPLM/A that it would not survived without them but on contrary, it was World Vision that became sufferers as their main donors demand returns of their fund designated for the suffering people of southern Sudan. Consequently, World Vision international came to beg the SPLM/A in order to sign the memorandum of understanding designed by Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SRRC), recalled Governor Ojetuk.
Governor Ojetuk appeals to those who have not yet opened any account with NCB to do so, while assuring the management of NCB and others interested banks that Eastern Equatoria State authority would guarantee for their security and make the necessary conducive environment for their operation all over the state.
He also reminded the management of NCB to put in their own structure in a plot state has already allotted to them.
“We also need other bank such as Ivory Bank, the former Unity bank, to come and establish their branches in Eastern Equatoria state in order to offer a competitive services to potential customers”, says Governor Ojetuk.
The chairman specialized committee of security and Public order at GoSS assembly, Daniel Deng Monydit says NCB was of more political bank because it was initiated during the 21 years of liberation struggle that claimed more than millions of lives of the marginalized and exploited people of southern Sudan; who now wants to show to the world that they are capable and well focused on what they would like to achieve as the greatest African Sudanese.
“I take pride to participate in this inaugural ceremony of NCB branch in Torit because it’s our own bank and manage by our own sons and daughters”,
Therefore, he adds, it would be unwise for any southerners to go and beg for development money from an Arabs in northern Sudan; NCB is now the solutions, he declared.
He urges all southern Sudanese to be patriotic and embrace NCB as their own bank in order to realize the dreams and vision of SPLM/A that has been cherish by their late leader Dr. John Garang de Mabior, he concluded.
Meanwhile the state minister of finance, Mr. George Muras Lomoro says NCB is a private public Liability bank Company therefore he would not like NCB to use EES as a center for a dumping.
He said the management of NCB should Endeavour to brings investors to people of southern Sudan particularly Eastern Equatoria state to fully become self supportive than dependent on handout from donors or Khartoum government.
The Torit County Commissioner, Col. Massimino Alam says since god created eastern equatoria land; there has never been a bank in the area. And hailed NCB for making a bold decision on being the first Bank to be established in the state.
Otherwise, he says, “Our people are keeping cattle and goats in their homesteads as money” Hence, he say, there are constant cattle raids in the state especially Torit and Kapoeta counties. Col. Alam explains.
Now with opening of NCB, people owning cattle could be persuaded to translated their cattle and goats into money and that he commissioner would takes the leads in mobilizing rural people to bring heir money for depositing into NCB.
The official representative of bank of Sudan in the inauguration ceremony, Tong Akech Deng, say fore the first time in world history, southern Sudanese rebels came out from bush with a bank. Therefore, he appeals to all business oriented people to make good use of NCB.
The SPLM state secretary, Felix Otoduha says establishment of NCB in Torit was the realizations of SPLM policy of bring services closer to the people.
He said SPLM was serious and would ensure that all parts of southern Sudan have access to banking system.
The chairman Board of directors of NCB Lonard Logo Mulukwat says the government of then new Sudan encourages establishment of the NCB at the time when some international organizations such as World Vision were wishing New Sudan to collapses with its programme of setting a people’s bank.
The managing Director of NCB, Agrye Idri said the second branch of NCB in Eastern Equatoria state was opened last month at Nimule border town with Uganda and the third would be open at Kapoeta border town with Kenya next week.
The NCB branch manager, Brotel Ohohrai said there are so far 700 people who have opened serving and current account in Torit while 30 people have bought shares since the time bank started operating on May 18th 2006.
He said NCB is willing and ready to gives loan to people who wants to run business including house construction loans, provided that the clients submit a bill of quantity NCB. “NCB is your bank and we are here to facilitates and support you to grow and become economically independent”, he remarks.
NCB has 25 branch offices all over southern including neighboring Uganda and Nairobi Kenya to cater for financial transactions needs of southerner Sudanese and friends in those countries.
(ST)