A wallet filled with South Sudanese Pounds.

A certified public accountant has called on the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank, and the National Revenue Authority to adopt a cashless economy as a short-term measure to ease the country’s ongoing liquidity crisis and rising inflation.

Speaking on Eye Radio’s Around South Sudan Podcast, Omiri said digital transactions would not only reduce misuse of funds but also improve transparency and traceability of government revenues.

He stated that government institutions that receive payments for services need to switch to directing customers and clients to pay directly into the banks and present only the cash receipts at the institution.

Stephen Omiri said shifting from cash to digital payments could help the government quickly plug financial leakages, curb corruption, and improve efficiency in public service delivery.

“There are a lot of innovative ways that we can be able to stabilize the economy in the very short term, there are so many of them. It should be made a policy that we should be a cashless economy,” he said.

A cashless economy is a system where physical money is replaced by digital payments such as debit and credit cards, mobile money platforms like M-Pesa, M-Pesa, and M-Gurush, and internet banking.

According to Omiri, many government departments that collect service fees in cash should immediately direct clients to deposit payments directly into bank accounts, and only present deposit slips when seeking services.

“So, when you want to pay a fee for a passport, you go deposit the money in the bank and come with the slip. The money goes to the bank, and it is easy for you to trace who took the money in the bank,” he explained.

He said handling cash within government offices encourages corruption and theft, as there is often no proper accountability of the money collected.

Omiri pointed out that revenue for services like passport processing, court fines, travel permits, and land fees is mostly collected in cash without assurance that the money reaches official government accounts.

He recommended that departments follow the example of institutions such as the National Examination Council, which receives registration fees directly through the Bank of South Sudan accounts.

Omiri added that this system reduces waste and makes it easier to manage funds through proper budgeting and withdrawals.

“But currently, in this country when you do your land you pay in cash whether ten million, fifty million you pay in cash, you go for the court fee you pay in cash; city council whether it is central equatoria or whichever they are collecting money left and right cash, where does that money end? It goes to the individuals. So, the Central bank or Ministry of Finance must work quickly, come up with the policy,” he stated.

He said adopting digital payments for all government services would enhance accountability and reduce financial loss, especially in a time when the country is struggling with cash shortages.

Omiri urged the government to consider directing all service payments into a central Treasury account, allowing institutions to offer services based on proof of payment.

His remarks come amid a deepening financial crisis. Last week, President Salva Kiir fired former Central Bank Governor Johny Ohisa Damian following public frustration over worsening cash shortages in banks and mobile money outlets.

Financial institutions have been limiting cash withdrawals due to the liquidity crunch.

Dr Addis Ababa Othow, who had served as the first deputy governor, was appointed as the new head of the Central Bank.

During the same week, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning admitted that although salaries were being processed, actual disbursement was difficult due to liquidity challenges.

Finance Minister Dr Marial Dongrin acknowledged the severity of the situation and called for urgent solutions.

Omiri said the crisis is being driven by several factors, including political instability, the ongoing war in Sudan, which has affected oil exports, as well as reduced donor support and development aid.