MPs put “pollutant” oil firms on notice

Members of the national parliament have called for a review of the contracts of oil exploration companies to reduce their resultant environmental threats, particularly pollution.

The legislators raised the concerns yesterday at Freedom Hall in Juba when a Member of Parliament representing Koch County, Wait John Dak, moved a motion raising an alarm over the environmental pollution in his area, which he linked to the oil exploration exercise.

The motion created an intense discussion, with the majority of the lawmakers calling for serious vetting of the activities of the companies or expulsion in the case of non-compliance.

Mark Nyipuoch Ubong, a lawmaker on an SPLM-IG ticket from Western Bahr el Ghazal State, suggested that the August House should have questions that probe for answers to solve the situation.

 He posed the question, ‘‘Are we the first country producing oil that kills people? “Does it kill their people when they extract oil?””That is the question we have got to ask ourselves here in this parliament, otherwise we are [going to be complacent as they are] killing our people and having children who are born deformed,” he added.

According to Obong , the old systems that have been applied by the companies are the leading causes of death and such issues should not be allowed to continue.

Time to act

“Are people in the Middle East, in Saudi Arabia or in the Emirates [UAE], dying because of oil extraction? If they’re not, then why don’t we apply the same system that they use and stop these Chinese companies that are killing us? Enough is enough. This parliament should say no to the Chinese companies that are killing us, “he urged.

He said the parliament should say “no” to the Chinese companies that are extracting oil and possibly replace them with other companies that can comply with environmental policies.

“We have to tell our nation, our government that enough is enough, stop these Chinese companies that are killing us and sue them internationally for those who have died and stop oil pollution. We should not shy away, “he said.

Bol Joseph Agau, a parliamentarian from Lakes State’s Yirol West County, under SSOA, emphasised that the motion raised an issue of national concern and should be treated as urgent.  

“When this country separated from Sudan, we did not review the oil contracts. The oil contracts are under the contracts that were signed between the Chinese companies and our (friends) and the Chinese mentality has not changed. The way they saw us when they were given the contracts by Sudan [is the same way they do now]. “We are not human beings in their [eyes]. They do not see us as humans and do not value our lifestyle,” Agau lamented.

Dak, who sponsored the motion, said Koch needs immediate action to address the situation.

“The presence of oil and other natural resources in Koch County is only causing more harm than good to the civil population inhabiting the area. This is due to the reckless production and exploration techniques used by the oil companies in and around Tharjiath, “he remarked.

She said there were oil leakages due to bad pipelines that had resulted in contamination of the environment that had led to a negative impact on human health.

“In recent years, children have been born with abnormalities; with no eyes, or ears, or even other essential body organs of normal human beings,” Dak said, adding the recent devastating flooding has aggravated the situation.

She said the August House has the mandate to urgently rescue the people of Koch County, as she suggested recommendations that could help alleviate the problems.  

“The operating companies have to ensure safe water supply systems that are treated to prevent local people from using the water from open ponds, streams, and rivers that are highly contaminated. He said there should be well-stocked modern referral hospitals to be established in the county headquarters in order to solve most of the pressing health concerns,” he said.

She called on the parliament to also form a committee that would conduct some planned inspections to help ensure the safety and efficiency of production and exploration materials that are used before they can be installed.