By Deng Akok Muoradid,
Oct 22, 2018(Nyamilepedia) — Nile Petroleum Corporation Company Limited commonly known as NILEPET is a sole government petroleum company entrusted with the importation of fuel and its distribution to the public petrol stations as well as the guiding the operations and activities of the private oil companies that are operating in the country. The objectives of NILEPET aim at service delivery. It is the biggest government company which would have employed almost quarter of the qualified citizens if the recruitment process is based on merits or in accordance with the South Sudan Labor Act of 2017.
However, Nile Petroleum Corporation Company Limited is no longer serving the objectives for which it was established. What has remained is the name “NILEPET” while its objectives are in dustbin. NILEPET has recently turned the corner from serving the public interest to serving the individual interest. Before I elaborate on what compelled me to write this article, the readers should know that telling the truth is not a sin but the real and unforgivable sin is when you know the true and keep it inside you due to the fear of unknown gunman. Therefore as a primary victim of the ongoing deadly corruption in NILEPET, I think it is my privilege to disclose what is taking place to the public especially the case of nepotism and usual awarding of positions to the relatives and children of the government dignitaries which is already a legal culture in the institution. What each and everyone should take into consideration is the fact that NILEPET is now serving the interest of individuals either directly or indirectly.
To prove this right, a job seeker is first asked by the NILEPET interviewer to clarify whether his/her father/ mother is a minister, general, senior dignitary or she/she is related to any of the above. If the applicant reply with the word no then he/she is declared unfit for that position. In another way, the applicant may be required to produce a recommendation letter from any minister. If the applicant fails to produce the recommendation letter then he or she is also declared unfit for that position.
The above discriminatory policy of discriminating the citizens on the basis of their family background violates chapter two, section six, subsection one of South Sudan Labor Act which says “ no person shall discriminate directly or indirectly against an employee or job applicant in any work policy” it is undeniable fact that the children and relatives of the senior government dignitaries are the one benefiting from the fruit of our country’s independence. Our martyrs who took up arms against the Islamic regimes in Khartoum though that they were fighting for the equality, freedom, justice and good welfare of the future generations without knowing that they were fighting for the children of the individuals.
I was amazed to see a certain sycophant eulogizing the current managing director of NILEPET Cde Chol Deng Thon, for achieving what he wrongly described as “reforms and service delivery” while forgetting the case of corruption. I wonder whether corruption promotion is an objective of NILEPET because whoever praises Chol Deng may exclude corruption eradication from the list of his achievements. No reforms can be achieved in any institution without first eradicating corruption.
It is a fallacy to say that Chol Deng has reformed and transformed NILEPET when corruption is being practiced in broad daylight.
The writer is a South Sudanese Human Right Activist. He can be reached through his email dengakokmuoradid@gmail.com or Tel +211914606064
