Government to audit oil fields amid reports of pollution

The government has announced plans to carry out environmental audit on every oil field following reports of possible runaway pollution by oil companies.
Environment and Forestry Minister, Josephine Napwon, told oil companies to be aware of this without giving details, while accusing them of ‘resisting’ the audit, even though several oil fields have been affected by flooding over the past two years of devastating floods.
“Three environmental firms were chosen following a competitive bidding procedure by the Ministry of Environment And Forestry, working in tandem with the Ministry of Petroleum, and that they will shortly receive a contract to undertake an audit,” said Napwon during a fete to celebrate World Environment Day (WED) in Juba on Monday.
She added that it is worth mentioning that since the country inherited the oil operations from Sudan, the companies that are operating in the country are not adhering to high environmental standards.
She said the upcoming audit will expose all the misdeeds and hopefully come up with mitigation measures, recommendations and the way forward.
“The audit report will be taken to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry for review and endorsement. I would like to assure our citizens that oil companies that have polluted the environment will be held accountable and will be made to restore the polluted areas and compensate all those affected,” she said.
Birth deformities, miscarriages, and other health issues among locals living near oil fields, as well as women who are unable to conceive, are among the effects of oil pollution that have been reported.
Several oil corporations have been working in the oil reserves both before and after South Sudan gained its independence, including Dar Petroleum Operating Company, Nile Petroleum Corporation, and Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company.
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“Three environmental firms were chosen following a competitive bidding procedure by the Ministry of Environment And Forestry, working in tandem with the Ministry of Petroleum, and that they will shortly receive a contract to undertake an audit.’’- Josephine Napwon, Environment and Forestry Minister.