A Rows of Classic Metal Oil Barrels Drum - Courtesy

Civil society activist Edmund Yakani has called on the Ministry of Petroleum to disclose the amount of revenue generated from crude oil sales, saying transparency in the sector should go beyond announcing production figures.

Yakani, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), welcomed the government’s announcement that crude oil production has increased to 174,000 barrels per day. However, he said the public should also be informed about the income earned from oil exports.

“We are demanding to finish up the circle of transparency and to enhance accountability,” Yakani told Eye Radio. “We want to hear how much revenue was generated from the sales of the production of the crude oil.”

He said disclosure of revenue figures would strengthen public accountability in the management of the country’s petroleum resources.

“Part of the circle for transparency and accountability is also to announce the net figure of the revenue generated from the sales of the crude oil for public consumption,” he said.

Yakani urged the government to invest oil earnings in productive sectors of the economy, particularly agriculture, to reduce dependence on oil and support long-term economic growth.

“The revenue generated should be invested in other productive sectors like agriculture,” he said.

The activist also called on the government to settle salary arrears for civil servants, saying many public employees have gone for long periods without pay.

“There’s a need to respond to the outstanding arrears of salaries for civil servants,” he said.

Yakani further appealed to lawmakers to exercise their oversight role by seeking regular updates on oil revenues.

“As citizens, we are asking our lawmakers in parliament. Now the Minister of Petroleum has announced the increment in the production of crude oil. We hope that, as MPs, you will stand up and demand the announcement of the revenue gained from the sales of crude oil in the international market,” he said.

He also called for greater transparency in the management of the country’s gold sector.

“We hope that similar practice will be exercised around the trade and investment in gold,” Yakani said.

The Ministry of Petroleum recently announced that South Sudan’s crude oil production had risen to 174,000 barrels per day, a development the government says reflects improvements in the country’s oil sector.