By Yiep Joseph
South Sudan Minister of Petroleum, Puot Kang Chol, has distanced docket from the alleged “rat” benefiting from the country’s oil resources.
In year, during a deliberation, Hon. Achuil Lual stunned the August House by claiming that “a rat” (person) benefits from the country’s the oil money.
Though the MP declined to name the “rat”, his perception was dictated by the fact that despite oil production, the country is engulfed by financial crises.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the National Legislative Assembly, Rt. Hon. Jemma Nunu Kumba could not give any response, since the claim never pointed at Members of the August House.
As the remark of “rat” benefiting on oils money went viral on the social media, it attracted lots of unanswered questions from citizens on who could be swindling the oil resources.
However, on Tuesday, while briefing the press on resumption of oil exportation, the Minister of Petroleum, when asked about the “rats”, dissociated his docket from the claim.
“In regard to the rats, I’m not given responsibility for taking care of rats. But my responsibility is to make sure we produce barrels. The barrels are marketed. Once sold, the money does not come to the Ministry of Petroleum,” Puot said.
Minister Puot explained that after oil production, the government treasury (Ministry of Finance and Planning) becomes responsible for whatever incident that may happen to the oil money.
“The proceeds go to the treasury account. As to what happened there, it’s not our responsibility, he said.
Before the interruption of the oil production by the Sudanese South Sudan has been reported to be producing roughly 150,000 to 170,000 barrels of oil per day.
However, despites the above production, the country continue to face hunger as well as poor infrastructure, health education among others.
In 2023 South Sudan was ranked by Forbes as the poorest country in the world in terms of GDP per capita and Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), data.
In the Forbes report, South Sudan appeared at number one among the top 10 poorest nations in the world in terms of GDP per capita Purchasing Power Party.
Burundi, Central African Republic, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, follow in the chart, while Mozambique, Niger, Malawi, Chad, and Liberia are also in the list.