Authorities in Ruweng State have said that communities in Aliny County are increasingly at risk following the recent oil spill in the Toma South oil field.

Abraham Ngor, Information Minister, in Ruweng State revealed that the oil leakage which occurred last week has already contaminated water and pasture putting the pastoral community under threat.

The oil leakage in Toma South known Kaluch in Aliny County of Ruweng State occurred on Saturday and the community is increasingly at risk after some of the waste contaminated the water and pasture, Ngor said while speaking to The Dawn, a local media via phone in Juba.

He said that they have already spoken with Greater Pioneer Operating Company(GPOC) vice president who later went to the scene with Director-General of the ministry of petroleum.

Ngor disclosed that GPOC left some of their equipment at the scene to help mitigate oil pollution. He blamed the recurrence of oil spillage on oil pipelines.

These oil spills have occurred several times an the oil companies are complaining that the pipeline become old and they are supposed to test them before resuming production,” he said.

He, however, added that so far no incident of death has been recorded but the communities around the oil field remain under the threat.

He urged the Ministry of Petroleum to pressure the oil companies to maintain the oil pipelines and bring the right equipment.