Map of Upper Nile State (Photo: Courtesy).

The tussle over the management of a 3% oil share for Manyo County in Upper Nile state has intensified with the community development committee urging the commissioner not to interfere with its work.

This came after the Commissioner dismissed the chairman and two members of the 3% oil share revenue committee.

On Sunday, March 4, 2023, Commissioner Peter Awon Adong sacked Ibrahim Ajageng, the community chairperson along with Musa Ali and one other.

In the order dated 21s February 2023, Awon said he made the decision following a consultation with the community members.

In response, the community development committee wrote to the Upper state governor, stating that the commissioner’s order was unilateral.

According to the letter, dated March 3^rd, 2023, the committee said the commissioner dismissed the individuals after they protested the alleged misuse of the fund.

They described the move as illegal and demanded that the community development account be frozen until the matter is resolved.

“The commissioner did not mention his order or any reason for the dismissal he didn’t mention anything,” said the dismissed chairman of the Committee, Ibrahim Ajageng.

“Some days back we disagreed on some issues, and he come up with his law to regulate the work of the Committee, that law contradicted the Petroleum Revenue Management Acts,

“We have rejected this because he gave himself 30% of the fund which was the main issue but order he did not mention anything as a reason for dismissal,

“My message to the commissioner is to respect the law because this committee was established according to the law of Petroleum Revenue Management Acts that regulate the work of the committee, not the commissioner.”

For his part, the commissioner of Manyo County, Peter Awon Odhong says he has not yet seen the community’s press release that was issued since last week.

“I have not yet gotten the letter, I will be in a position to respond to you if I get it, but I dint got the letter,” Peter Awon Odhong told Eye Radio.

“Somebody will talk about things he has, but for sure I didn’t get it, can talk about something you have seen but I can’t respond to this now.”

In February this year, the government of Upper Nile State resolved that all the counties in the state will benefit from the three percent of oil revenues allocated to oil-producing areas in the state.