By Andrew Mabor,
April 04, 2017(Nyamilepedia) —— As I have taken up lately to inform and educate the people of South Sudan of what is shaping up within the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) and especially how political actors are robbing the State, it is another time to informed the public of what just emerged a day before yesterday. A lucrative contract worth over $36 million American dollars has been awarded to Joint Private Company managed by the two political architects; Stephen Dhieu Dau the current Minister of Finance and Planning and Hon Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, the Minister Petroleum.
ESECO ltd is a catering company own by Mr. Lual Wil, a nephew to Stepen Dhieu and Ezekiel Lol’s wife, Rachel Nyahok Gatkuoth who just descended from United States to come and oversee business deals of Hon. Ezekiel Lol, one of the SPLM-IO political heavyweights currently serving in peace agreement in Juba alongside the First Vice President Taban Deng Gai.
Stephen Dhieu’s relatives have had this contract since 2013 and the arrival of Mr. Ezekiel in Petroleum ministry seemed to have complicated some calculus. Mr. Stephen Dhieu was forced to divide the contract between him and Ezekiel when the contract previous terms expired early this year. Although Oil Operating Companies decided not to renew the contract given the fact that the company lacks catering ability to continue serving all the four camps in Oil fields, both Stephen Dhieu and Ezekiel Lol threatened Chinese oil operators with violence and forced the renewal of the contract through their terms. The threat with violence to vulnerable oil operators who currently operate under threat of kidnapping and abduction, forced the Chinese and Malaysian to accept and award the contract under duress.
According to insiders within the Ministry of Petroleum, both Stephen Dhieu and Ezekiel Lol have a complete cartel setting within the Ministry. “Stephen Dhieu has never left Petroleum ministry since he was appointed Minister of Finance and Planning” said one of the employee who did not want to be named in such reported writing. The same employee added that Ezekiel Lol is just after money and contract in this government. Lol travelled abroad 20 times since he was appointed Minister of Petroleum in mid July 2016. The guy has been after hot deals and business connections.
The author is a concerned South Sudanese living in Juba, South Sudan and can be reached at andrewmabor444@gmail.com
