By Correspondent
Mary Majok, a resident of South Sudan’s Upper Nile State always dreamt of being a mother and was expecting her first child in June 2019. Like any expectant mother, she did everything to deliver a healthy baby. However, her dreams were crushed when she gave birth to a baby with no legs and arms.
Excitement immediately turned into confusion. “When I first saw the child, I could not believe that is what I was carrying in my stomach for 9 months. I was scared and shocked and did not know what to do. I just cried, the child had no legs, no arms, and had a bulging stomach, I kept asking God what I had done wrong,” Majok says.
The next day the child passed away, and Majok has not been able to get pregnant since.
Majok’s story is similar to many others in this oil rich state.
A 2013 survey by the National Minister of Petroleum, Hon. Dhieu Dau on the impact of oil production on the population noted an increase in incidents of preterm and stillbirths as well as deformed babies who did not survive much longer after birth. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6774902-SS-Committee-Report.html.
The survey sought to find out whether there was a link between oil production and the increase in incidents of health problems in the oil-producing states.
Chol Maker (not real name), a 25-year-old resident of Paloch, who lives near the oil facilities has seen how the oil industry has immensely impacted the health of the people in his community.
“When you move in the water near the fence of the compound (oil facility), especially during the rainy season, your skin becomes itchy, with rashes and this is because of the substances they release from inside there,” Chol narrates.
“Sometimes even your legs can be swollen which cannot be treated by a doctor or medicine. Our women here are also suffering. Today you will hear one has given birth to a child with no legs, tomorrow you will hear another has given birth to one with his intestine out. I don’t think this government really loves us as its people,” Chol adds.
South Sudan’s Oil Conundrum
Oil exploration and production has shaped the economy and development of South Sudan since independence in July 2011. South Sudan has oil reserves estimated at 3 billion barrels (bbls) making it the third largest oil reserves in Sub-Saharan Africa after Nigeria and Algeria.
The Upper Nile region is oil-rich, but this resource presents a looming threat to the current and future generations alike, especially to those living around and within the oil fields.
The benefits from oil production have come with a heavy cost, as the health of the local population has been adversely affected and compromised.
Contaminated water sources, air pollution from flaring, and exposure to toxic substances have contributed to a myriad of health issues among the residents in the oil-producing areas.
During oil production many substances and harmful gases are dispersed in the air. Some of these hazardous substances include benzene, styrene, ethynyl-benzene, toluene, xylenes, and N-hexane.
Health Effects of pollutants from the Oil Industry
(Source: https://www.vch.ca/sites/default/files/import/documents/VCH-health-impacts-oil-spill.pdf)
Pollutant | Short and long-term health effects |
Benzene | Short-term exposure may cause irritation of the skin, eyes, and upper respiratory tract, and blisters on the skin. Longer-term exposure may cause blood disorders, reproductive and developmental disorders, and cancer. |
Toluene | May cause nervous system effects, irritation of skin, eyes and respiratory tract, dizziness, headaches, difficulty with sleep, birth defects |
Ethylbenzene | Short-term exposure may cause throat and eye irritation, chest constriction, and dizziness. Long-term exposure may cause blood disorders |
Xylenes | Short-term exposure to high levels of mixed xylenes may cause irritation of the nose and throat, nausea, gastric irritation, and mild eye irritation. Long-term exposure may impact the nervous system. |
N-Hexane | Short-term exposure may cause dizziness, giddiness, slight nausea, and headaches. Long-term exposure can cause extreme numbness, muscular weakness, blurred vision, headaches, and fatigue. |
Oil Sector and the Disregard of the Law
Many citizens and Civil Society Organizations believe that the disregard of the South Sudan Petroleum Act 2012 by oil companies has unleashed a tide of oil pollution.
According to Chapter 14, article 52 Subsection 2(b), of the Petroleum Act 2012, there has to be a risk assessment done that identifies the potential major hazards and risks to personnel on the installation, site, or equipment as well as hazards that could be transferred offsite to the general public and that provides for the appropriate measures and controls to avoid or lessen the risks.
https://mojca.gov.ss/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Petroleum-Act-2012.pdf
Dr. Bior Kuer Bior founder and Executive Director of Nile Initiative for Health and Environment of South Sudan’s Civil Society Coalition on Natural Resources in an interview said that the provisions of the Petroleum Act 2012 are not being implemented by the oil companies.
“The Act is not being implemented with respect to the environment and we are urging the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining and the oil companies to look at the Act one more time and make sure it is implemented,” he explains, adding that “all these issues that are happening in the oil field with respect to the environment can be mitigated if the Act is implemented.”
For the vulnerable population, relief and justice have often been promised but rarely delivered. This situation is exacerbated by the seeming unwillingness by the South Sudan government to address the problem.
According to the Petroleum Revenue Management Act (2013) and the Transitional Constitution (2011), Oil-producing states are allocated a 3 percent share of net petroleum revenues for service delivery and developmental projects respectively, and yet this has not been transferred to the oil-producing states. The central government improperly reallocated the funds to other uses. (https://mop.gov.ss/download/pubs/Petroleum_Revenue_Management_Act.pdf)
“They always make promises but they never deliver. We the communities also need services and I believe this is one of the key objectives of every government, to make sure that its people are properly taken care of,” observes Maker Dhuol, a concerned citizen.
The Transitional Government of National Unity led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit has on several occasions been criticized for its lack of transparency and accountability in managing oil revenues leading to allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
This made the country rank second in public sector corruption in 2022.
Health Sector Gaps in South Sudan
Further exacerbating the situation is limited health facilities which means that individuals with health complications related to oil pollution do not have proper access to medical care and treatment. This lack of access leads to delayed diagnosis and treatment, which can result in worsening health conditions for the affected individuals.
The Health and Environment Minister of Ruweng Administrative Area, Hon. Simon Chol Mialith in a letter to the national minister of Health in April this year, expressed concern about the increasing number of cases of birth defects in the region, which he attributed to the presence of oil in the area.
The letter detailed the various birth defects that have been observed, ranging from physical deformities to cognitive impairments. Minister Mialith highlighted the devastating impact these birth defects have had on families and communities, as they struggle to care for children with special needs.
Deformed births in Upper Nile Region between 2015-2017
YEAR | NO. OF BIRTH |
2015 | 41 |
2016 | 59 |
2017 | 118 |
Several members of the communities of Upper Nile state claim their health got worse after they started using white containers which started appearing in the markets and on roadsides a few years ago for fetching and storing drinking water.
“As a consequence of oil production, hazardous waste is dumped in areas near the people and the same containers that used to contain chemicals for oil production are in the hands of the communities being used for drinking water and other domestic uses,” says Charles Judo, the chairperson of Civil Society Coalition on Natural Resources.
The containers which were also mentioned in the 2013 report had hazardous substance warning labels although it is still unclear how the containers left the secure compound of the oil facility.
“The oil companies knew exactly what was going on. There is no way the white containers would have left their compound without the staff in charge knowing, but they’ll never take any responsibility for it,” says Ramadan Chan, chairman of the Padang Community Union.
The Union represents people living in Unity and Upper Nile States and acts as the liaison between the communities and the oil companies.
Any way Forward?
Despite the evidence linking oil exploration and production to the declining health of the people of Upper Nile, it is essential to consider the long-term consequences of oil extraction on the well-being of the local population, as well as the need for sustainable and responsible practices in the oil industry.
Hon. David Batali Oliver, the Director General of Environmental Planning and Sustainable Development in the Ministry of Environment and Forestry August 2024 during a stakeholder meeting held in Juba on the environment and social impact assessment of Jonglei oil exploration, shared that the government currently has no environmental protection law and this makes it difficult to exercise their authority and mitigate these rising issues.
While the economic benefits are evident, the health risks and environmental degradation as a result of oil production cannot be ignored. It is imperative for all stakeholders to work together to mitigate these challenges and ensure the well-being of the local population and their environment.
It is crucial for the government of South Sudan and international oil companies to address the health concerns of the people in the Upper Nile region. This includes implementing regulations to minimize environmental pollution, monitoring the health of the local population, and improving access to healthcare services through extension of health facilities to communities.
There is also need for greater transparency and accountability in the management of oil revenues to ensure that the benefits of oil production are equitably distributed among the population.