Juba, South Sudan
June 26, 2022 — South Sudan Minister of Petroleum said he is denied powers in the management of the state-owned oil company, NilePet which now reports directly to the Ministry of Presidential Affairs as oppose to the Ministry of Petroleum.
Puot Kang Chol revealed that the state-run Nile Petroleum Corporation is managed by the Presidential Affairs Minister,saying unless on technical matters.
He raised this complain during a meeting of the National Constitutional Amendment Committee and stakeholders on Petroleum Laws in Juba on Thursday.
“It’s always difficult because the line ministry which is supposed to run the activities of Nile Pet, is the ministry of petroleum. But now, the chair is the Minister of Presidential Affairs,” Minister Kang complained.
Hon. Kang said the alleged overlapping of duties makes it difficult for him to answer inquires put forth by the cabinet.
“So you find it difficult to report to the cabinet. When I’m asked, I would say I don’t know because the management of it (Nile Pet) is from the minister of presidential affairs. But when it comes to practical activities the company relates to us, because they have no relation with the presidential affairs ministry,’’ Kang explained.
According to Section 12 of the Petroleum Act 2012, the Ministry of Petroleum shall be responsible for the management of the petroleum sector in accordance with the provisions of the Transitional Constitution.
In addition to concerns raised by oil minister, the Governor of Central Bank Moses Makur Deng said in the same event that the 2012 Petroleum Act was legislated in favour of foreigners.
“It was actually imposed, and we didn’t sign anything, so we left it. When people went for consultation, I came and write that it seemed to me irrelevant so it was a crooked thing,” Makur said.
