On 15th July 2021 using the powers given to him by Article 174 (2) of the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda,President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni made a reshuffle and appointed Permanent Secretaries.
Among the appointees is the Makerere University Business School (MUBS) economics Lecturer Ramathan Ggoobi. who has been appointed Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary. He replaces Keith Muhakanizi who has been taken to the office of the Prime Minister.
Who is Ggoobi?
He was born in Ngando, Kitagobwa – Butambala district. He attended Kitagobwa UMEA for both his Primary and Secondary education, before joining Makerere University.
In 2003, he graduated from Makerere University, Since he was among the best students, Ggoobi was retained to teach Economics at the University. In 2010, he attained his Masters degree of Arts Economic Planning and Policy, Economics.
Ggoobi has also trained Senior Military Officers at Senior Command and Staff College (SCSC) Kimaka in Media Relations and Public Sector Economics for 5 years, He has written a column and blog entitled, “Are You Listening Mr. President?” in the Sunrise Newspaper for 8 years, he has also analyzed public policy for senior leaders in the Government for 4 years.
As Policy Analyst, and political economist Ggoobi has spearheaded the arm ‘economics that works in Uganda and he has co-authored several studies on Uganda’s economy. He has also got involved in the global debate of why economics teaches more neo-liberalism.
Ggoobi says that his passion for economics was inspired by former Bank of Uganda Governor and proprietor of defunct Greenland Bank, Sulaiman Kiggundu who used to visit his secondary school many times during fundraising drives and other ceremonies and Prof. Patrick Kabunakuki who advised him to pursue economics that works.
Since most of his childhood memories revolve around the school environment as the family spent many years residing at the school campus, Ggoobi fell in love with teaching to the extent that he has turned down many good-paying jobs due to his love for the profession.
“Many people have tried to get me out of teaching; including the government but I maintain my stand,” Ggoobi said in one of news interviews two years ago, “I want to keep changing the mindset of young people which contributes to the betterment of the country.”
Apart from loving his career, Ggoobi is also passionate about imparting and sharing knowledge with others most especially young people. He is also among the Ugandan economists that want to change the face of the country’s economics from a complicated and mathematized discipline to make it user friendly.
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