South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
Millions of liters of fuel have arrived in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, and is planned to be sold at prices lower than that on the regular market, to ease economic pressure on the people.
One hundred trucks of fuel are in the country, imported by a partnership of the National Oil and Gas Company and Pacific Petroleum, with more than half of them already docked at a depot in Gumbo on the outskirts of the capital.
“We have more than 67 trucks that have already arrived and we have sent some to the stations, some we have stored here and more are still coming on the way,” James Deng, the Managing Director of the National Oil and Gas said while showing the fuel to reporters at the depot yesterday. “This fuel will be sold at subsidized price to ease the burden on our citizens, initiated by the Ministry of Trade,” Deng said. “It is testament of our commitment to supporting the citizens of the Republic of South Sudan who endure many economic hardships.”
Shortage of fuel is not new to South Sudan. It’s a global challenge caused by insecurities and crises, first internally here, and by proxy from those external. But since March, when the partnership to import was created between the National Oil and Gas Company and Pacific Petroleum, optimism weighed in despite challenges in getting as much fuel as possible.
“On those challenges, when we look at the people that we are serving, we look at them with a feeling of excitement and happiness that gives us actually hope to continue supporting, continue serving the citizens South Sudan,” Kur Ngor, the General Manager of Pacific Petroleum, said.
“I would like to appreciate our partners including the government for supporting this initiative of supplying fuel at affordable,” Ngor said. “We need also the government to intervene by at least showing how we can come up with a solution.”
The availability of fuel will ease pressure on the country and let people operate with relieve, according to Deng. “We have worked tirelessly to ensure that fuel, a matter of national security, is available despite the economic hardship we are facing,” Deng said. “Through our able partnership, we were able to rescue the situation and avert further distress to our already struggling economy.”
Jackline Nyibol Benjamin Ajongo, a Member of Parliament who doubles as the SPLM Secretary for Planning and Economic Affairs was enthusiastic over the fuel import.
“It is great and it is wonderful to have such an achievement made by national companies that have come together to do such a work,” Ajongo said. “What impressed me most is the joint venture that has been done between these two companies that came together. That was a very good idea and it has yielded the fruit that we have seen today.”
She urged South Sudanese to emulate such a partnership in the country.
Let us be patriotic, let us be nationalists, let us do things together,” Ajongo said. “I really urge business communities who are operating in South Sudan to make sure that they come together and be strong.”
