South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Denis Ejulu
Few women and youth have ever made it on the board of directors of the Bank of South Sudan since the youngest nation won independence in 2011.
But Alangi Stephen Ogut,33, the current youngest Non-Executive Member of the Board of Directors of the Bank of South Sudan, did not make it because of her ethnic group or family connections, but through her competence.
Despite her being born to a father whose exploits in the liberation war, are still revered and respected within the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), she had to compete with many South Sudanese to earn the job on merit.
Alangi’s academic resume includes, a diploma in law and a degree in financial accounting from the United States International University-Africa in Kenya, but it’s her creative mind and strong leadership skills that have catapulted her to where few South Sudanese could get.
In addition, the recently introduced reforms and policies by James Alic Garang, the Governor of the Bank of South Sudan have contributed to ethnic diversity, gender equality and efficient working environment at the apex bank.
Alangi who belongs to the minority Anyuak community of Akobo County in Jonglei State, becomes the first person from her community to sit on the top decision –making organ of the central bank.
“I heard mixed reactions, I did not see it coming at first that it was going to be a big position as it is, when I did the interview for this job I actually didn’t know that it was an interview for a position on the board of directors,” she said in an interview with The Dawn newspaper in Juba on Thursday.
“I thought it was just an interview for some job positions in the bank, but it was not specifically mentioned that I was going to be a board member,” she disclosed.
Alangi was appointed to the board of directors of the central bank in presidential decree in January 2024.
She said her role on the board is to offer advice and solutions to her colleagues especially on policies to stabilize prices and the economy.
“The current leadership is performing very well, it is aligning itself with one of the major agenda of the nation which is to take services to people, so far we have expanded the services not just to Juba, but we have expanded outside to other States, we have reached 8 States and we are still working to take services to all States in South Sudan,” said Alangi.
She noted that her appointment demonstrates inclusivity as both women and youth are well represented.
“My community is encouraged that someone they know very well is sitting at the top decision -making organ of the central bank. You know here in South Sudan, if you are appointed through presidential decree, people think you have a lot of money, you get a lot of phone requests for help but not all appointments come with monetary benefits,” said Alangi.
Alangi Stephen Ogut (Right), James Alic Garang (Middle) and Nyiel Gordon Kuol (Left) in a group photo.
WHAT HER COLLEAGUES SAY ABOUT HER
Nyiel Gordon Kuol, the Second Deputy Governor for Administration and Finance, said Alangi has demonstrated high level of competence since rising to the board of the central bank.
“She happens to be a woman, youth from the small community of Anyuak and Murle but her capability also pushed us to give her the job,” said Kuol.
“We have not been having any woman on the board since 2011, all the board members were all men and also the executive members were all men, so we fought since the time of former Governor Kornelio Koryom Mayik,,” she added
Alangi becomes the fourth woman to sit on the board of the central bank, since Nyiel Gordon Kuol and Hellen Pita.
“We are really pushing for the policy of inclusion and I am glad that the Governor has picked up that very well, inclusion in human resources means that there is nobody that is going to be discriminated,” said Kuol.
James Alic Garang, the Governor of the Bank of South Sudan appreciated President Salva Kiir for appointing a qualified, visionary and also down to earth woman on the board of directors.
“When she joined the board for the first time, she listened very well then when she came on to intervene, the quality of her answers were very great. This lady has been moulded by the family and her community, we did not know her until last year, where she came from she has been made a leader of her own,” said Alic.
Alic disclosed that the Bank of South Sudan has a vision to employ quality people across all ethnic groups in the country.
“If you leave one sect of the society untapped or not capacitated, then you are missing out something very big, so our policies, plans and programs are not only forward looking but they are also inclusive and they enshrine the element of equality,” he said.
