South Sudan President Office Defends The Sacking Of Oil And Petroleum Minister

Hon. Ezekiel Gatkuoth was sacked by South Sudan President while on a trip abroad but the office of the President said the sacking was just a normal routine. 

The president’s spokesman Ateny Wek told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that Kiir’s decision to remove Ezekiel was informed by need to appoint a new minister.

Ateny Wek the President spokesman said that “These are normal routine changes that happen.”

The Spokesman of the president further added that ” He [Ezekiel] was supposed to return from the official mission to Russia but he delayed. The former minister’s trip to Nigeria had nothing to do with his job, after the Economic Forum in Russia ended, he went to Nairobi and then to Nigeria for a private mission.” 

Mr. Ateny Wek further reiterated that the president has all the powers to remove and appoint government officials and it must not be questioned.  

South Sudan President Decree gave no reason for the sacking of the former Oil and Petroleum Minister nor was there any signs of him to be sacked.  

Mr. Ezekiel Gatkuoth was replaced immediately by Awou D. Chuang was the director general at the petroleum ministry.  

Questions still remain. On how the first vice president will take the sacking of his strong ally Hon. Ezekiel. Only time will tell.  

South Sudan currently pumps roughly around 175,000 barrels of oil per day which most of it will be used to finance the construction of roads by the Chinese company.