South Sudan President Salva Kiir has removed the country’s finance minister from his position amidst a backdrop of economic turmoil, though no explicit reason was provided for the dismissal. The decision to oust Bak Barnaba Chol comes amidst escalating inflation and a significant depreciation of the local currency against the US dollar.
The announcement of Chol’s dismissal was made through a decree aired on state television late on Friday, adding to the growing concerns over the country’s economic stability. Notably, the economic crisis has left some government employees without salaries for six months.
In recent months, the South Sudanese pound has experienced a drastic decline in value against the dollar, resulting in soaring prices of essential commodities like food. Chol, a 43-year-old ally of President Kiir, had assumed the role of finance minister in August, where he implemented various reforms aimed at addressing issues such as ghost workers in the government payroll and revenue leakage.
In Chol’s stead, Kiir has appointed Awow Daniel Chuong, a former petroleum minister, to take over the finance portfolio. This change in leadership reflects the government’s efforts to navigate through the challenging economic landscape gripping South Sudan.
