A delegation from the Central Bank of South Sudan (BOSS) headquarters has toured South Sudan’s currency centre in Rumbek, Lakes State.
Led by BOSS Governor Dr. James Alic Garang, the team made an inspection tour of the ongoing construction works at the facility on Friday.
They were received by Lakes State Governor Gen. Rin Tueny Mabor.
Addressing the media in Rumbek town, Dr Garang said,” The idea of the currency centre started in 2013, and then in 2014, they started the construction works, which are not yet complete.”
He said the building was supposed to have been handed over to the Central Bank by the contractor, but two things stood in the way.
“One was an electrical issue, and the other was some leakage from one of the walls. I don’t know what it looks like, but I am going to see it,” he said.
He blamed the delay on previous leadership at the Central Bank.
“I will not promise a lot, but let’s look at it for the first time and see what needs to be corrected. I have been informed by the consultant that some things need to be corrected. The cost will not be higher than what has been put in it,” he said.
Dr Garang further said transparency and accountability should be upheld in the interest of the public and value for money.
“So the contractor was requested to pay back some money, but until now, they have not yet repaid us. We will continue to push them. But as an institution, while we wait for the payment, we can also try to mobilize other resources to look into it that these corrections are made,” he said.
He said the Rumbek currency centre is one of the central bank’s current principal and flagship projects.
Garang said the government is very committed to paying civil servants salaries on a timely and regular basis.
“At the end of this month, the Minister of Finance and Planning will pay at least one month and he will be doing so throughout the year,” Garang said. “Paying salaries is imperative. I will take the message to the Minister of Finance, although it is not my role as the Central Bank Governor.”
Meanwhile, Lakes State Governor Mabor said security remains his top priority in the state. “It means food security, good education, good health and name them. It is a package and we are dealing with them under security,” he said.
He pointed out that the state does not have any branch of an agricultural bank, hence farmers have to access such facilities in Wau town, Western Bahr El Ghazal State.
“Our condition is the same across the nation. We are facing this difficult situation in the state and mainly the payment of salaries of civil servants. We are managing it but it is difficult and we are moving on,” he said.
Governor Mabor said civil servants in his state have gone without salaries for five months.
“So, when it comes to tabling the supplementary budget in the next round, work hard to push for the states’ budgets because people are here at the grassroots level, there are no other people up there, “he said.