South Sudan’s Kiir sacks head of Nilepet, names successor

October 17, 2024 (JUBA) – South Sudan President Salva Kiir has sacked the head of the state-owned oil company (Nilepet) Mohammed Lino Benjamin barely six months after his appointment.

Kiir, in a decree issued on Thursday, named Ayuel Ngor Kwocgor as Nilepet’s new Managing Director.

No reasons were cited for the removal of Lino who has been head of Nilepet since July this year.

This comes days after Sudan and South Sudan reached an agreement to resume pumping oil from South Sudan’s territory months after it was halted due to technical as well as security issues.

The Sudanese Minister of Energy and Petroleum Muhieddin Al-Naeem said the decision was reached following a meeting minister held with senior South Sudan Petroleum ministry officials.

He further said the two sides agreed to resume pumping and operating the pipeline to Port Sudan.

The Undersecretary in South Sudan’s Petroleum ministry, Chol Thon Deng said they assured the Sudanese Ministry of Energy to start the pumping process.

He said their visit comes within the framework of the close relations between the two countries.

South Sudan’s economy largely depends on the oil it exports via neighboring Sudan. But the conflict in Sudan has led to a drop in oil revenues, which has negatively impacted on the country’s economy.

(ST)