S. Sudan’s Kiir sacks head of state oil company

November 2, 2015 (JUBA) –President Salva Kiir Monday fired the head of the Nile Petroleum company, which oversees South Sudanese oil industry, as fuel shortage continues to bit in the country.

In a presidential decree read on SSTV on Monday evening, President Kiir relieved managing director of Nile petroleum, Joseph Cleto, and appointed Moses Machar Achiek as replacement.

Achiek served as undersecretary of the ministry of petroleum and mining.

Mohamed Lino became the new under-secretary in the oil ministry. Lino was the director general for production and exploration in the ministry. A new director was appointed by a separate presidential decree.

The presidential decree did not give any reason for the changes but there is an acute fuel shortage in the country.

On Sunday, the outgoing director Cleto announced arrival of 50 tanks of fuel to address the ailing transport in Juba. But long queues were formed at fuel stations on Monday.

Nile Petroleum took supply of fuel to the country last year when commercial suppliers attempted to increase the price of litre from the government sanctioned six South Sudanese pound per litre.

(ST)