South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Friday evening dismissed the Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Bak Barnaba Chol over failure to rescue the worsening economic situation and pay off the accumulated salary arrears of the civil servants, army, and police.
In a republican decree, No.47/2024 announced on the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), President Kiir dismissed Minister Bak and named his replacement immediately.
Bak Barnaba Chol—who is a highly regarded Financial Economist—was an Assistant Professor and a Business Consultant, at the University of Juba at the time of his appointment as finance minister in August 2023.
The appointment was based on his credentials and advice from President Kiir’s inner circle hoping Bak to save the nation from economic recession.
Dr. Bark holds an MBA and a Doctorate in Business Administration from the University of Buckingham and the United States International University with ten years of experience in finance and banking.
In February this year, Bak challenged the parliament’s decision to increase the salaries of civil servants by 400 percent, citing that the new salary structure designed by the parliament, was ‘unsustainable.’
The statement he made irritated the already jubilant civil servants and impelled a summon for questioning before the August house.
Days later, a group of wounded soldiers staged a protest at finance ministry premises demanding cash to pay for their medical bills. The protest ended violently. Eyewitness account indicates that two wounded soldiers were killed and 17 others arrested after clashing with a police unit deployed to secure the ministry complex.
Police Spokesperson Major General Daniel Justin confirmed the arrest of 17 soldiers but declined to respond to the alleged killing of two wounded soldiers during clashes in the morning hours of 15 February 2024.
In a republican decree, No.48/2024 and No.49/2024, President Kiir relieved Engineer Daniel Awou from his role as the technical advisor of the Ministry of Petroleum and named him as the new finance minister.
Engineer Daniel Awou was first the petroleum minister before he was demoted to undersecretary and then technical advisor and today, appointed to a ministerial position.
The rate of the South Sudanese Pound (SSP) continues to depreciate against the US Dollar, shooting up the market prices. The world’s youngest nation depends on food imports from neighboring Uganda and Kenya.
Oil stands as the only commodity South Sudan exports to the international market to finance its institutions. The Houthis blockade of crude oil ships at the Red Sea impasses the oil exports and further devastates South Sudan’s economy.
Last month, Golden Times quoted Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth saying that the government temporarily shut down oil production as the main pipeline transporting the crude oil to Port Sudan experienced petroleum jellying affecting the flow of the oil.
