![South Sudan minister of labour and public service James Hoth Mai speaking to reporters in Juba on January 24, 2019 following a workshop on peace implementation. [Photo by Sudans Post]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/maxresdefault.jpg?quality=89&ssl=1)
Gen. Hoth was referring to a lawsuit filed last year by a South Sudanese advocacy group over the government and oil companies’ reluctant to clean oil wastes that has caused environmental pollution affecting human and animals.
The group sued the Ministry of Petroleum at the regional court for its failure to even pressure oil companies to manage oil. It came after poor waste mismanagement caused unprecedented health damages to the environment of oil-producing communities.
It caused “alarming” birth defects, miscarriages and other health problems among residents of the region and soldiers who have been stationed there.
“People are opening a case against South Sudan and when talk of South Sudan, is not South Sudanese alone, including partners, Joint Operating Companies, JOCs,” Mai said during a consultative workshop on Unified Human Resources Policy Manual on Thursday in Juba.
Mai urged the Ministry of Petroleum and oil companies to clean the environment polluted by oil waste.
“Our environment is so bad and you have to get ready to answer those questions because in this world, we are not in isolation, we are part of this world and we are guarded by principles of environment.”
Mai urged national oil companies to take lead in protection and conservation of the environment.
“Our environment is not friendly, it is not conducive and it is our work to do that otherwise, we South Sudanese, if we think JOCs are not so much concern about our environment, you should take lead,” he said.
“In some years, people will run away from oil and there is a need for green and friendly environment where there is not pollution.”
