By Deng Ghai Deng & William Maduok
Dr. James Alic Garang, the Governor of the Bank of South Sudan, has been awarded the prestigious “African Economic Resilience & Growth Champion” award by the African Leadership Magazine.
However, this accolade has sparked a heated debate on social media regarding the criteria and legitimacy of the award, given the country’s current economic turmoil.
The award, presented at the African Business Leadership Awards (ABLA) ceremony held in London, recognized Dr. Alic’s role in advancing banking services and fostering economic expansion in South Sudan.
Prime Minister Philip Davis of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas had the honor of presenting the award to Dr. Alic, commending his dedication and professionalism in driving economic development.
“Dr. Alic’s efforts have significantly enhanced access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises not only in South Sudan but across Africa,” remarked Prime Minister Davis during the ceremony.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Alic acknowledged the economic challenges facing South Sudan, exacerbated by global economic downturns and the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite these adversities, he highlighted the Bank of South Sudan’s crucial role in supporting economic recovery and development efforts.
“I am excited and honoured to receive this prestigious award,” said Dr. Alic. “I look forward to continuing our efforts to bolster economic growth, even amidst challenging times.”
Earlier this year, Dr. Alic was also recognized by the United States House of Representatives in South Carolina and the African Leadership Organization for his expertise and contributions to economic development.
The ABLA ceremony, part of the ALM 9th Africa Summit 2024, celebrated visionary leadership and transformative impact across Africa.
The event brought together influential leaders from government, business, academia, and civil society to honor exceptional individuals and organizations driving socio-economic progress on the continent.
The African Leadership Magazine’s ABLA awards have gained prominence as a coveted honour within the African business community, showcasing leaders who significantly contribute to Africa’s economic transformation and global standing.
This year’s ceremony featured 18 distinguished winners, including Dr. Alic and Paul Russo, CEO of Kenya’s KCB Group, honoured as the Africa Business Leader of the Year.
The recognition of Dr. Alic Garang underscores his fundamental role in advancing economic resilience and growth in South Sudan, reflecting his commitment to driving sustainable development across Africa.
Despite the recognition, some South Sudanese citizens have met the award with skepticism. On social media, discussions have centred on the exchange rate, which has more than doubled, and the soaring commodity prices, which have significantly burdened the population.
Reacting to the recognition, a South Sudanese citizen who requested anonymity questioned the award yet the country’s economy continues to deteriorate.
“$100 is trading at over 400,000 South Sudanese Pounds (SSP) today. How is this an achievement for Dr. Alic to be called the best performer?”
Another citizen who identified himself as Mr. Chan, added, “if anything, he has failed, making him the worst Central Bank governor in modern history. We, the people of South Sudan, are being taken for fools every day, aren’t we?”
Mr. Chan argued that the primary role of the Central Bank’s chief is to regulate currencies, which the current governor has failed to control effectively.
“The Central Bank’s chief function is regulating currencies. If he failed in doing that – for reasons other than his own – how can he be awarded when he is not delivering on his role?” he questioned.
The anonymous citizen further stated, “we all know that these frequent accolades contradict the performance of the Central Bank and the functioning of the overall economy. It would be fraudulent of me to receive such awards.”
However, Valentino Achak defended the BOSS governor, saying that Alic found an overextension of hard currency and should not be blamed for the current situation.
“The inflation which soared way before his appointment shouldn’t deny him credit for achievements,” Achak argued.
Another source, who wished to remain unnamed, said, “the performance cannot be evaluated only on currency exchange. There are multiple areas to evaluate the performance.”
The source admitted that the dollar exchange rate keeps increasing because the country is relying mainly on oil revenue.
“If the country only depends on importing food and other essential commodities and has nothing to export to get hard currency, then where do we expect to get the dollars? So simple, there is high demand for foreign currency to import goods,” the source added.