Former NBS Chairperson speaks during welcoming ceremony of his successor Dr Agustino Ting Mayai|Photo|Eye Radio

Former National Bureau of Statistics Chairperson has commended UN agencies for supporting the agency, citing it was for them that the institution remained operational as his successor challenged the regime had no data collection.

Isaiah Chol said this during the welcoming ceremony of his successor Agustino Ting Mayai to the NBS headquarters on Monday.

“If this institution was not being supported by UNFPA and UNDP, it would have been closed a long time ago, honestly.

“Here, we cannot work without internet and who pays internet, UNFPA, 3,000 US dollars a month, and our budget for our operation is 4,000 (without stating the currency)  for the whole set up from the government.

“So the question of, which I want to emphasize is that UNFPA, UNDP have made what we are, but without them, there will be no bureau,” he said.

Speaking upon his official take over,  Dr. Augustino Ting Mayai revealed that the agency had not done data collection and analyses since 2010 due to lack of resources.

He stressed that the bureau cannot deliver on its mandate without resources.

Dr Ting said he will knock on the doors of regional and international partners to seek their support for the bureau.

“Using information properly and accurately is key, and our partners and the government need to make note of that. But the bureau cannot do without its resources, it means resources,” Dr. Ting made the during his reception ceremony at the National Bureau of Statistics’ headquarters on Monday in Juba .

“The money is not the main resources of the bureau, the main resource is the people. So, the welfare of my colleagues is of utmost importance.  As I take over this leadership, I’m going to do the best I can to knock on all doors, and by the way I do know how knock doors.

“Our regional and international partners, I will be coming to you for support, I will be understanding in terms of limitations, I will be flexible, we will work together to make sure this fundamental goal of improving our statistical agency is achieved.”

President Salva Kiir appointed Dr. Agustino Ting on 26 January 2024 in a presidential decree, replacing Dr. Isaiah Chol Aruai.

Dr. Agustino is a demographic and development specialist with a philosophical decree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States.

Dr Ting who is currently studying how state effectiveness affects child health outcomes in South Sudan and Ethiopia, was the founding Research Director of Sudd Institute where he served for a decade

Mayai also taught as an assistant professor at the University of Juba’s School of Public Service, teaching graduate programs, research methods, program evaluation, and econometrics.