Cash scarcity grips commercial banks
Long queues now form daily outside Juba’s commercial banks as customers try to withdraw even modest sums. Lawmaker Michael Rout Koryom told colleagues that some civil servants wait days for just fifty thousand pounds, then take loans to feed their families.
Legislators echo public frustration
Koryom said salaries have been electronically transferred, yet cash remains elusive once accounts reach the counters. MPs questioned why deposits vanish while banks levy withdrawal fees. “When the bank is consuming the little you have, why would I keep my money there?” asked MP Betty Achan Agwaro.
Demand for transparency and fresh ideas
MP Dushman pressed the Central Bank to reveal the money’s whereabouts and justify ongoing foreign-currency auctions. Julius Moilinga proposed introducing a new currency to flush out hoarded notes, while Chabur Goc suggested pounds might be circulating in Sudan’s Darfur region, urging investigation by the Financial Intelligence Unit.
Summons and the road ahead
Parliament unanimously resolved to summon the Finance Minister, the Bank of South Sudan Governor and the Financial Intelligence Unit within days. Lawmakers say their appearance could chart a path to restore confidence, ease the queues and stabilise the young nation’s banking system.