The Governor of Unity State, Dr. Joseph Nguen Monytuil is calling for scientific research to address environmental pollution affecting communities in the oil-rich state.
Monytuil says there is a need to explore concrete solutions to tackle oil pollution to save the people and their livestock.
In his presentation during the 6th Governor’s Forum on Monday, Monytuil says petroleum waste keeps the state in danger.
“In conjunction with this, the petroleum waste management is not up to date, our environment is in danger. There are contaminations from the buyer remediation and it’s now mixing with the water of flooding.”
The governor has also raised concern on the income allocated to the oil producing state saying there is no exact percentage allotted to the state.
South Sudan, a country endowed with petroleum and other natural resources, allocates 2% and 3% of the net petroleum revenues to producing states and communities, respectively.
“I learnt with surprise from the presentation of honourable minister of finance that they could not budget for the arrears of the state of the oil producing state. We have arrears, with the ministry of finance.”
“And we have one thing that affects us as oil producing state, when our oil is being sold in Cargos, there is no calculation for the percent that deserve to be going to the oil producing State,” he said. The governor regrets poor development in Unity State despite its natural resources.
“These are oil exploration roads and in actual fact they are not serving the community. We don’t have a single community road; we are just running after all these oil companies,” Dr. Monytuil said.
He calls for the need for partners to be engaged in Unity State so that they can change the lives of people across the State.
Governor Joseph speaking on Monday during the Governor’s Forum in Juba.