By Bida Elly David
Government has dismissed rumours circulating on social media purporting oil deal worth $12.9 billion with United Arab Emirates (UAE) for paying salaries.
Al-Monitor website published that a company run by a distant relative of the ruling family in Abu Dhabi had signed a deal with the government of South Sudan, offering a loan in exchange for oil.
Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Jacob Mijok Korok on Friday, rubbished the report as unfounded rumours.
He said that the government has not engaged in any transaction with the United Arab Emirates.
“With regards of getting the $13 Billion or what so ever, it is just a social media rumors and surely incredible information,’’ Korok said.
He referred to the circulating information as mere social media rumors and deemed it incredible.
The deputy minister emphasized that if the two countries had indeed agreed on such a loan, the government would have made an official announcement.
“I want to clarify that we will not talk on this matter because the information is not credible since it is a circulation that is not true,’’ he said.
He clarified that the government remains committed to seeking opportunities for grants to address the remuneration of civil servants.
However, he refrained from providing further clarification on the matter, stating that it requires additional confirmation to determine the reality of the agreement.
“Government cannot deal with rumors. The government deals with credible information through government channel, that one was just something moving on social media, so no body proved it to be right or not,’’ he said.
He emphasized that the circulating information was merely something spread on social media, and its veracity has not been proven.
The deputy minister stated that it is not the government’s concern to investigate such rumors, dismissing them as incorrect.
Last month, Finance Minister Daniel Awow Chuang pledged to seek funding from individuals of goodwill to pay salaries and address the country’s struggling economy during a press briefing.