By Bullen Bala
South Sudan’s Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly (R-TNLA) has issued a warning to NilePet, the state-owned petroleum company, to prepare for an audit. This announcement was made by John Dak, Chairperson of the Specialized Committee of Petroleum-R-TNLA, during a reception for the NilePet Managing Director in Juba on Monday.
According to Dak, NilePet has the potential to be a major revenue generator for the country but has so far failed to live up to expectations. She emphasized the need for greater transparency and accountability within the company, suggesting that the audit could help address concerns over its financial performance.
“We need to see changes in NilePet this season,” she told the New NilePet Managing Director, Eng. Ayual Ngor Kacgor.
According to Ms. Dak, the institution’s executives can only implement significant changes and ensure that the business produces the desired results if they are held accountable.
“By law, the cooperation needs to be audited by the auditor general and to report quarterly or annually to the parliament. But since its incisions, there has not been audited,” she said.
She cautioned that the parliament will not be silent on accountability-related matters this year.
“So, this year, as an oversite body, we will soon write to the auditor general as an oversite body, so in order to audit Nile Pet, get ready. All the former MDs should be prepared for auditing. We are not sleeping; we are following your steps by step,” the lawmaker added.
For her part, Amb. Martha Nyamal, NilePet Deputy Managing Director, acknowledged that Nile Pet Corporation would have been generating enough revenue to contribute to the nation’s growth, but she said there is one disease that she failed to mention.
“Is true NilePet should be making money. We should not go through what we are going through today by saying that we can’t pay our staff. We are a company, and we are supposed to make money like any other company,” Amb. Nyamal stressed.
She added that “But I think the disease is only one, and we all know what that disease is. I do not want to mention it because I do not want to be seeing someone saying it. So, keep yours, and I keep mine.”
According to Nyamal, the appointing authority should allow time for individuals tasked with managing the corporation if the NilePet leaders are to deliver.
The Deputy MD urged the leaders to at least give more time for the company’s MDs in order for them to deliver.
“Because this is not a political post, this is where someone has to come in, look into the papers, plan, and see what is next. So, we asked the leadership of the Nile Pet family that now we have a new MD; can you please have at least five years for him? We believe after two years, he will make money,” she lamented.
She believed that the company would even contribute to the development of the country. “So, the problem is not NilePet.”