Who is Avur Jane Pacuto? Flash Uganda Media looks at his biography, age, wife, family, tribe, achievements, and relationship with Lucy Nakibuule, Prof. Patrick Kabunakuki, the early life and education of a Ugandan political economist, researcher, economics lecturer, Policy Analyst, author, and consultant.
Ramathan Ggoobi is a Ugandan political economist, researcher, economics lecturer, Policy Analyst, author, and consultant.
He has co-authored several studies on Uganda’s economy and spearheaded the arm ‘economics that works in Uganda’.
Ramathan Ggoobi serves as the Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development’s (MoFPED) Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury.
He is passionate about imparting and sharing knowledge most especially with the young generation.
Net Worth
Ramathan Ggoobi’s net worth is 489 million Ugandan shillings.
In 2021, he achieved an all-time high of over 231 million Ugandan shillings per year thanks to a raise in pay for his new role as Permanent Secretary.
Early Life
Ramathan Ggoobi was born in Central Uganda, Butambala District in Ngando, Kitagobwa. He is a Muganda by tribe with ancestral homes in Buganda.
His father was a teacher as well as his mother Lucy Nakibuule. Later, his father became a civil servant while his mother taught until retirement.
Two of Ggoobi’s siblings are also teachers.
Ggoobi fell in love from a young age and his early childhood was characterized by an educational environment as his family mostly resided on the school campuses.
Education Background
Ggoobi attended Kitagobwa UMEA Primary School and Secondary School.
After his secondary school, Ggoobi joined Makerere University from where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 2003.
He was inspired to become an economist by Prof. Patrick Kabunakuki who persuaded him to pursue economics that works and the former governor of the Bank of Uganda and Proprietor of the defunct Greenland Bank, Sulaiman Kiggundu while still in Secondary School.
Later, Ggoobi proceeded to Makerere University and attained a Master of Arts in Economic Planning and Policy Economics degree in 2011.
Education background summary
| Years | Institution | Status /Award |
| Kitagobwa UMEA Primary School | PLE | |
| Kitagobwa UMEA Primary School | UCE & UACE | |
| 2003 | Makerere University | Bachelor’s degree in economics |
| 2011 | Makerere University | Master of Arts in Economic Planning and Policy Economics |
Other Career Achievements
Ramathan Ggoobi earned a Certificate in Sustainable Development at Columbia University U.S.A., in 2015.
In 2016, he earned a Certificate in Energy Economics, with Total Global.
In 2019, he joined Walden University, USA as a PhD Candidate.
Marriage / Relationship
Ramathan Ggoobi is married to Stella Nakamya, and together they’re parents of two children.
Career and Professional Work Experience
Ramathan Ggoobi has taught economics at various universities in the country and trained senior military officers at SCSC Kimaki in Public Sector Economics and Media Relations for five years.
After graduating from Makerere University with an economics degree in 2003, Ggoobi who was among the best students of economics was enrolled as an economics lecturer at Makerere University.
However, before completing the induction process with Makerere University, he was contacted by Kampala International University (KIU).
A month later, Kampala University contacted him as a lecturer and he accepted. He worked there until Makerere University Business School (MUBS) contacted him needing his teaching services in 2008.
He has been a lecturer at MUBS from 2008 until 2021, a period during which he has written numerous reports, essays and books on the Ugandan economy.
Ramathan Ggoobi was appointed Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance on 15th July 2021 by H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni replacing Keith Muhakanizi who was taken to the office of the Prime Minister.
He also wrote a column and blog in the Sunrise Newspaper titled ‘Are You Listening Mr President’ for eight years.
Ggoobi analyzed public policy for senior public leaders in Uganda for four years. He has additionally engaged in the international discussion concerning why economics imparts more neo-liberalism.
| Years | Institution | Position |
| 2003 | Makerere University | Economics Lecturer |
| 2008 – 2021 | Makerere University Business School (MUBS) | Economics Lecturer |
| September 2017 to September 2020 | Uganda Development Corporation (UDC) | Director |
| 2021 – Present | Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development’s | Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury |
Achievements
Ramathan Ggoobi is one of the economic leading authorities in Uganda. Several policymakers and media houses consult him for economy-related issues.
Ggoobi has provided consultations to a number of organizations, such as the Action Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE), Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Financial Sector Deepening Uganda (FSDU), International Labour Organization (ILO), and Overseas Development Institute (ODI) UK.
His teaching services have shown up in Uganda’s GDP for instance in 2019 and 2020.
Ggoobi oversaw the MUBS Economic Forum, a think tank that produced ground-breaking research and sparked discussions that led to workable policy solutions for some of Uganda’s economic problems.
He was a member of the Uganda Development Corporation (UDC), the government of Uganda’s investment arm, from September 2017 to September 2020.
He was voted the best Director at the end of the period by management and other directors.
He also completed several tasks that were given by the President to the Senior Presidential Advisor on National Economy from June 2020 to July 2021.
As Permanent Secretary, Ramathan has set out to strengthen the national budget’s responsiveness to national development priorities, enhance the evaluation and execution of national development programs, and guarantee accountability with quantifiable outcomes rather than paper accountability.
Controversies
Ggoobi was named the incoming Finance Minister by Daily Monitor on a rumoured list of ministers appointed by President Museveni in 2021.
A day later, the final list was revealed to the public, and the economist was not a minister, which sparked both negative and positive responses on social media.
During the COVID-19 health crisis, Ggoobi strongly opposed the Government for granting COVID-19 patients in the ICU their NSSF benefits.
He emphasized that the Government should treat these patients instead of giving them their retirement savings for treatment.
