The recommendation of 400 Padang Sons and Daughters to various oil companies by Awou Daniel Acuang is a clear Padangization of Oil Sector

By Deng Gatpan Wan

During the time of Awou's appointment, many citizens though that he is a technocrat who would work better than the previous minister. However, the assumption turned to be the opposite. The citizens later discovered that Awou Daniel Acuang is a really tribalist and a corrupt man inform of a technocrat. This proved itself in a matter of three days in office when he ( Awou) began implementing his hidden agenda of " oil sector padangization". The plan to padangize South Sudan Oil Sector has been in the minds of so called Engineer Awou Daniel before his appointment. Awou Daniel Acuang is a first class tribalist who defines South Sudan Oil as his own community property regardless of the location. Padangization policy aims at replacing Non Padang sons with Padang sons and daughters in all the oil companies and petroleum ministry. Awou assured his community that he would padangize all the oil companies with in one year.

In a matter of three days in office, Awou Daniel began Padangizing all the oil companies and his ministry by ordering the management of GPOC, DPOC and SPOC to cancel and return the recommendations issued by previous minister to the ministry of petroleum. This order was quickly implemented by his relative, the Vice President of GPOC. The vice president of GPOC Angelo Chol who doubles as a relative to Awou Daniel packed all the recommendations which were issued by the previous minister and return them back to the ministry. Awou Daniel cancelled and sorted out the documents of non Padang sons including the recommendation of a Senior Human Right Activist who is allied to the previous minister and then he re-approved the recommendations which were bearing the names of Padang Sons and Daughters.

He issued more than 400 recommendations to his relatives and community members ( Padang) and then instructed the oil companies to employ them with in one week. I have the names of 400 sons and daughters of Padang who were recommended to work in oil companies and ministry by Awou Daniel Awou. One of them is his nephew Mr. Riak Deng Akuei. Riak Deng Akuei is an illiterate man who has never step his feet in school compound. Awou Daniel threaten to terminate the contract of oil companies in case of failure to implement " Padangization policy"  He further instructed the oil companies to replace all the employees who were employed at the time of the previous minister with Padang Sons and Daughters.

Padangization policy will lead to complete domination of oil sector by sons and daughters of Padang if no measure is taken against Awou Daniel. It will soon result into tribal animosity between those are victimized and Padang Community. According to South Sudan Constitution, the resources which are located in South Sudan belong to all the South Sudanese regardless of their location. However, this article is being violated by Awou Daniel and his relatives who define the oil as their own property. 

The author is a Concerned Citizen. He can be reached via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.