Cabinet Minister Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro speaks to the media in Juba. | Photo: FVP Press Unit/Facebook

The Governance Cluster has adjourned to next week the drafting of the National Petroleum and Gas Corporation Amendment 2023 Bill after the Presidential Affairs Ministry did not present a signed copy of the 2019 Act.

Tuesday’s meeting chaired by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, was to discuss the establishment and responsibilities, particularly on who should run the NilePet.

Cabinet Minister Dr. Martin Elia Lumoro says the cluster had a challenge in drafting the amendment bill, resulting in its adjournment to next week’s meeting.

Dr. Elia says the scheduled meeting will first revisit the past bills to understand the roles of the relevant institutions before putting them together for a cabinet presentation.

“On the National Petroleum and Gas Corporation Act, we had a challenge in drafting the bill 2023 but we wanted to see the approved or accented bill 2019. We wanted to see the establishment and responsibilities of who is responsible for NilePet,” Elia said speaking on state-owned television SSBC on Tuesday.

“We faced a challenge that the Ministry of Presidential Affairs was not accompanied by the signed copy of the 2019 Act, and without the technical staff who would guide the cluster on the enactment of the National Petroleum and Gas Corporation Act 2023.”

“So, we put it to next week and we are inviting the technical team of the Ministry of Presidential Affairs including the Managing Director of NilePet.”

The bill is being amended a year after the Minister of Petroleum said that he was sidelined in the management of the state-owned oil company, NilePet.

Puot Kang Chol said the oil firm was being managed by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs.

Kang said the alleged overlapping of duties makes it challenging for him to answer inquiries put forth by the cabinet.