Kiir urges new Central Bank governor to improve economy

January 17, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan President Salva Kiir has urged the new Central Bank governor to help improve the deteriorating economic situation in the young nation.

“I want to repeat that don’t disappoint your people, because I followed the news in the evening, and your people had been writing a lot, congratulating you and thanking me for appointing all of you,” said Kiir after overseeing the swearing-in of the new officials.

“Now if they hear tomorrow that you went into a different corner, they will be very much disappointed, we don’t want this thing to happen. We are hopeful that you will change the situation” added the president in reference to loss in the value of the local currency.

Meanwhile, the country’s finance minister, Stephen Dhieu Dau commended the South Sudanese president for accepting his recommendations for the new Central Bank team.

He said the Central Bank governor and his deputy have lots of experiences in banking.

“We will do our best to revert the situation the country is in,” further stresed the minister.

The new Central Bank governor, Othom Rago Ajak thanked the president Kiir for appointing him and pledged to work hard to improve the economy and reduce inflation.

He vowed to exert efforts to make economic reforms within 100 days of taking office.

“We are grateful to the president for selecting us and putting his confidence that we can run the bank. However, with the experience, we shall try our best with what is happening in our economy,” said Ajak.

“Of course the problem with the people of South Sudan is the inflation and instable and unstable exchange rate. We shall be working to address these issues and hopefully, we shall do something about it,” he added.

Ajak pledged to put in place regulatory systems to improve the economy.

(ST)