South Sudan President Salva Kiir has sacked Mohammed Lino Benjamin, the president of the state-owned oil business (Nilepet), less than six months after he was appointed.
In a decree released on Thursday, Kiir appointed Ayuel Ngor Kwocgor as Nilepet’s new Managing Director.
This comes only days after Sudan and South Sudan agreed to resume oil production from South Sudan’s territory, which had been halted owing to technical and security concerns.
No reasons were cited for the removal of Lino who has been head of Nilepet since July this year.
Sudanese Minister of Energy and Petroleum Muhieddin Al-Naeem stated that the decision was made during a meeting between the minister and senior South Sudan Petroleum Ministry officials.
He further said the two sides agreed to resume pumping and operating the pipeline to Port Sudan.
The Undersecretary in South Sudan’s Petroleum ministry, Chol Thon Deng said they assured the Sudanese Ministry of Energy to start the pumping process.
He said their visit comes within the framework of the close relations between the two countries.
South Sudan’s economy largely depends on the oil it exports via neighboring Sudan. But the conflict in Sudan has led to a drop in oil revenues, which has negatively impacted on the country’s economy.
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