Reprinted from eye radio: https://eyeradio.org/use-oil-proceeds-wisely
Use oil proceeds wisely
The South Sudan Law Society is urging the political leaders to use the oil proceeds wisely, adding that production will not last forever.
According to the ministry of petroleum, South Sudan produces 175,000 barrels per day.
At the current oil prices, the government gets 5.5 million dollars per day or more than 165 million dollars per month.
However, human rights watchdogs such as Transparency International Global Witness say only the few are benefiting from the oil production.
They say oil is used to fuel the conflict as the political leaders stash millions of dollars in foreign bank accounts – living the common man with nothing.
“We need to prepare and diversify, change the oil resources to sustainable peace in the country. The oil-producing states must be the number one seen to be states which can acquire better development using oil resources,” said Justice Ajonye Perpetua, the deputy president of the South Sudan Law Society.
Besides, they say there is no development on the ground; no road networks, electricity and piped water despite laws that require the government to ensure that the people, especially those in oil producing states benefit from oil.
A recent report by a German-based charity organization – Sign of Hope – shows that oil companies have polluted the water of 600,000 people in areas around the oilfields.
“We need to save for future generations. After about 36 or more years, the oil-producing states will be the most dilapidated states, which people will not stay in,” she suggested.
