(Juba) – A recent directive from the Office of the President has sparked public criticism and calls for financial accountability in South Sudan. The Executive Director in the Office of the President, Hon. Dominic Juk Chom, issued an urgent instruction to the Managing Director of the Nile Petroleum Corporation (NilePet), Eng. Ayuel Ngor Kacgor, to release $11 million (approximately SSP 51.15 billion at the official rate or SSP 77 billion on the parallel market) to cover medical expenses for President Salva Kiir Mayardit, who is receiving treatment in the United Arab Emirates.
The order was documented in an official letter dated Thursday, 26 June 2025. In the letter, Hon. Juk stated that the President’s health had worsened and required immediate financial support for ongoing care abroad.
However, the timing and circumstances of the request have generated strong reactions from within government and among NilePet employees, many of whom have reportedly not received salaries for over three months.
Despite these salary delays, NilePet reportedly continues to earn substantial monthly income from the country’s three joint oil operating companies — Dar Petroleum Operating Company (DPOC), Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC), and Sudd Petroleum Operating Company (SPOC).
Sources familiar with the company’s operations allege that the revenues, often in the millions of dollars, are being controlled and divided among top officials, notably Eng. Ayuel Ngor and Hon. Dominic Juk, while frontline workers remain unpaid.
A senior official within the Presidency, who asked not to be named, accused Hon. Juk of exploiting the President’s medical condition to access large sums from state institutions. The source further revealed that the President’s medical expenses in the UAE had already been covered by the Ministry of Finance, raising questions about the necessity of the additional $11 million.
“This is no longer about the President’s health,” the official said. “This is about personal enrichment disguised as a national emergency. The Finance Ministry already handled the medical bills, so what is this money really for?”
The matter has ignited calls for investigations into the financial conduct of both the Presidency and NilePet.
