Grief at Changes in Commodity Prices and Dollar Rise

By Bul Daniel

When the former Minister Finance officially handed over the office to his successor the Eng., he never menaced his word. He said, “I hope the Eng. will continue with the financial reforms introduced”. End of the quote. Where did such piece of wise advice fall into?  Dumbed ears or hollowed eardrum? It is not a surprise that when you don’t follow not just an advice but a wise warning, a piece pointing to the path that lies ahead, one is likely to vacillate miserably. And this is the situation the current Minister of Finance and Planning should view himself. When the Minister took office, the dollar was below the current rate of 300,000SSP per $100. Now, it is the reality that the dollar is rapidly but badly gaining against SSP. Where is the problem? Who caused the problem and how can we remedy or rescue it?

Simply put: the problem lies with the Minister and the Central Bank governor. The former has not come out to the public to explain where did it all go wrong? And while, the latter, when he was on a visit to the US said on the VOA News on South Sudan in Focus that, and I cite, “The rise in dollar is a global phenomenon and we can’t do anything about it”. End of the quote. Naïve response, absurd and nonsense in its entirety! See how vulnerable the country is in the hand of such supposedly people’s servant. Much as it is global, but what is the country doing at its own level and context? Excuses are often drawn and derived from the global context just in an attempt to skew themselves from responsibility. Why are you the Central Bank governor in the first place? You are solely to regulate and establish financial policies, provide price stability by controlling inflation and you are sole provider and printer of notes in circulation unfortunately we don’t have coins in circulation. I hope no more printing of notes for particular convenience. I am not smelling any rate anyway.

 The Central Bank some 3 or years ago ordered the printing of ONE THOUSAND SSP NOTE and now it has killed all the small notes and sadly, it is soon killing 50 SSP note. Where are we going as a nation? A herd without shepherd are vulnerable preys to the predators, in fact, now economic predators – the market and its manipulators and prices gouging gangs around Juba. Why do we leave the nation at the mercy of the market and not regulate it? Is there any power greater than establishing a system that works and responsive? You now know –the reader- where the problem has been and soon where it will be again. Who caused the problem – lack of institutionalized financial systems or lack thereof implementation if there existed one. The remedy is that next time, in fact, as the country heads towards December 2024, the country’s leadership – H.E Salva Kiir Mayardit needs to examine the performances of the current sitting Central Bank governor and the Minister of Finance and Planning before they throw this country into mouth of wolves. Both their exits need to be rehearsed and contemplated as soon as time can allow. Time is vulnerable and not a friend to anybody now for their sitting in those offices and watch the commodity prices go bizarre and transport costs around Juba are unaffordable and unbearable. This the grief of the nation Mr. President comrade, H.E Salva Kiir Mayardit. Your Excellency, your children are being denied basic needs, water cost is high yet The Nile River flows in our backyards. The water points or reservoirs are just next door but a 250 Litres now is 3,000 SSP or beyond in some distant residents. The basic of the basic is no more basic. South Sudan is a country of misery and mystery. Now this where the nation grieves for social services and justice but no ear is open to listen. Dr. John Garang finger still points to the truth and reality about where we come from and where we are still yet to go to. Only the finger remains pointing but who sees?  The nation grieves at the commodity prices and dollar rise. ALLELUIA!

Bul Daniel can be reached at Kongobaba18@gmail.com