Parliament to summon Ministers of Petroleum, Environment over oil pollution

The Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly has resolved to summon ministers of Petroleum, Environment and Managing director of NILPET to answer questions on the environmental pollution caused by oil exploration in the country.

The move came after two legislators raised a motion on the environmental pollution caused by oil exploration in Koch County of Unity State and the eruption of an unknown explosion in Ayod County of Jonglei State.

The members of parliament, after a thorough deliberation on the matter, agreed to summon Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol, Environment Minster Josephine Napwon, and NilePet Managing Director Dr Chol Deng.

Hon. Jemma Nunu Kemba the Speaker of TNLA said that what is happening to people living in the oil-producing areas is a serious matter and needs to be addressed.

“What is happening in the oil-producing areas is our problem, all of us, not for one person, it’s a serious matter that needs to be addressed quickly,” Kumba said on Wednesday during the ordinary sitting where some members of Parliament raised a motion on oil pollution.

She said that the parliament is going to summon ministers concerned to answer questions on the issue of oil pollution in the country.

Wait John Dak, one of the lawmakers who raised the Motion in the parliament said that the presence of oil and natural resources in Koch County and other areas around the country is causing more harm than good to the civil population inhabiting the areas and this is due to reckless production and exploration techniques used by the oil companies in and around Tharjiath.

“The oil leakages and spills due to pipeline ware-out have resulted in significant contamination of the environment and have negatively impacted human health, in recent years, children have been born with abnormalities (with no eyes or ears or other essential body organs of a normal human being). With the recent devastating flash flooding, running water has covered a large magnitude of land surface and hence a good coverage by pollutants. A good number of domestic animals have been dying in large numbers,” she said.

She added that a serious threat posed by oil-related pollution to the people in and around Koch is the impact on both surface and underground waters, it has been found that polluted underground water takes many years before it can be remedied.

“Yet these underground waters move into streams and wells which are only sources of local water supply in the community which results in the rise of water-related illnesses. There is a perceptible fear that rather than being the source of misery, diseases, and death. Most of the water boreholes drilled in areas around Koch produced water with a salty taste which proves it unsafe for human consumption”

The speaker recommended that the oil operating companies in and around Tharjiath must adopt proper measures that are helpful to minimize the contamination of a normal wedge. The human population living in close proximity to the production sites needs to be relocated to safe areas very far from direct exposure to pollution.

Wol Deng said oil companies are doing nothing in terms of protection and giving services to people who are living in oil-producing areas.

He called for the relocation of the people who live near oil fields to far places.

He said that communities affected by oil pollution should be compensated for the damage that happens to them.

Joseph Malwal Deng said that citizens have been complaining about the oil impact on them but little has been done.

He said it was time the parliament acted to rescue the lives of the people who have been affected by oil pollution in the country.

“We need to do more to rescue our people, there is something wrong with the management of the oil exploration in the country, Oil companies are doing more harm to the community and we are just quitting keep on that,” he said.

Hon. Jemma Nunu Kemba the Speaker of TNLA said that what is happening to people living in the oil-producing areas is a serious matter and needs to be addressed.

“What is happening in the oil-producing areas is our problem, all of us, not for one person, it’s a serious matter that needs to be addressed quickly,” Kumba said on Wednesday during the ordinary sitting where some members of Parliament raised a motion on oil pollution.

She said that the parliament is going to summon ministers concerned to answer questions on the issue of oil pollution in the country.

Wait John Dak, one of the lawmakers who raised the Motion in the parliament said that the presence of oil and natural resources in Koch County and other areas around the country is causing more harm than good to the civil population inhabiting the areas and this is due to reckless production and exploration techniques used by the oil companies in and around Tharjiath.

“The oil leakages and spills due to pipeline ware-out have resulted in significant contamination of the environment and have negatively impacted human health, in recent years, children have been born with abnormalities (with no eyes or ears or other essential body organs of a normal human being). With the recent devastating flash flooding, running water has covered a large magnitude of land surface and hence a good coverage by pollutants. A good number of domestic animals have been dying in large numbers,” she said.

She added that a serious threat posed by oil-related pollution to the people in and around Koch is the impact on both surface and underground waters, it has been found that polluted underground water takes many years before it can be remedied.

“Yet these underground waters move into streams and wells which are only sources of local water supply in the community which results in the rise of water-related illnesses. There is a perceptible fear that rather than being the source of misery, diseases, and death. Most of the water boreholes drilled in areas around Koch produced water with a salty taste which proves it unsafe for human consumption”

The speaker recommended that the oil operating companies in and around Tharjiath must adopt proper measures that are helpful to minimize the contamination of a normal wedge. The human population living in close proximity to the production sites needs to be relocated to safe areas very far from direct exposure to pollution.

Wol Deng said oil companies are doing nothing in terms of protection and giving services to people who are living in oil-producing areas.

He called for the relocation of the people who live near oil fields to far places.

He said that communities affected by oil pollution should be compensated for the damage that happens to them.

Joseph Malwal Deng said that citizens have been complaining about the oil impact on them but little has been done.

He said it was time the parliament acted to rescue the lives of the people who have been affected by oil pollution in the country.

“We need to do more to rescue our people, there is something wrong with the management of the oil exploration in the country, Oil companies are doing more harm to the community and we are just quitting keep on that,” he said.