Journalists are not reporting about oil and its effects on people and animals as it harms natural resources, says a Member of Parliament representing Yei River State.
Alfred Taban regrets that the Ministry of Petroleum is not explaining the dangers of oil and the issues happening to update the media.
The ministry is focusing only on the rates of the fuel in the market, he points out.
“Taban says communities should be aware about the oil and its advantages and disadvantages and the compensation that people are in need of.
price of oil in the market said Oh Brent oil or crude oil prices is this in the market indicating that our revenue is going to increase which is more-less sometimes true but not always by the rarely the side effects of oil extraction reported I mean very little they said about the rivers in the oil areas which are more-less polluted. And the danger this is causing for the animals and the people of these areas. This are rarely reported this should be reported because this is actually what affects the lives of our people directly the pollution of the water”.
Commissioner of Access to Information Commission, Nicodemus Ajak Bior tells the Ministry of Petroleum to produce a periodical report and details about the production of oil barrel and the rates.
He says local media have the right to get information from the Ministry of Petroleum.
Ajak advises journalists to confront officials with the law if they deny for them information.
“This is the only resource that South Sudanese or South Sudan as a country is feeding on it should attract a lot of attention from journalists to get really to know what is happening and I’m happy Honorable a member of parliament I just raised up on a very critical issue on the issue of environmental degradation because this is the resource just distracted from the earth and there are people living there. It’s something that has caught the attention of international media but we’ve not seen that from you the local media. I think it’s an area if you are training on investigative journalism. It’s an area you need to go in. I know it is difficult to get information but now this is where we need to be touch to all of us. You and the commission to be able to ensure that you have a smooth way to getting the information. We are dealing with obstacles. One lack of awareness from the public officials that they are by law you know mandated to keep that information they have no idea. It’s our role to let them know”.
The speakers made the remarks on Thursday during the training on oil for development awareness at AMDISS.