Ex-Taban spokesman says oil minister has ‘courage to stand up’ for South Sudanese

JUBA – A South Sudanese youth leader who served at one point from 2016 to 2019 as the press secretary for then First Vice President Taban Deng Gai has praised petroleum minister Puot Kang Chuol as an ‘active’ minister who has stood up against all odds for the rights of the citizens of South Sudan in the face of exploitation by oil companies.

This comes after the ministry of petroleum and the Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC) signed, with representatives of petroleum employees, a framework agreement on which basis the oil companies treat employees in respect to payment policies.

The Unified Human Resources Policy Manual (UHRPM) is a document that was initially launched by the ministry of petroleum, the employees and the GPOC to enhance conditions of workers who had complained of exploitation by the five shareholders making up GPOC.

In a brief statement, Agel Machar praised Kang as a young active minister who has stood up for the greater good of the South Sudanese working in the oil companies against exploitation by international oil companies operating in the world’s youngest country.

“Join me in congratulating one of the most active young ministers, Cde. Puot Kang Chol, for the courage to stand up for the rights of South Sudanese employees against the exploitation by our International partners in the oil industry,” he said.

“The battle to arrive at an agreement on the full implementation of the Unified Human Resources Policy Manual (UHRPM), a document that was launched back in December 2020 must have not been easy at all,” he added.