South Sudan's parliament has resolved to summon the Petroleum minister, Puot Kang, Environment minister, Josephine Napwon and Health minister Yolanda Awel Deng over the continued pollution in the oil-producing states. 

The summon came after Riek Manyiel Ayuel, a Member of Parliament representing Ruweng Administrative Area, tabled an urgent motion on children born with deformities in Parieng Hospital as a result of chemicals used in the oilfields. 

Ayuel told the August House that children are sometimes born at Parieng Hospital with defects in brains or intestines outside. 

"Honorable Speaker, honourable members, I want to clarify this point. I am not a scientist, and these issues are of concern. We have also had such cases in Bentiu and have done the research. But because of insecurity and displacement, this scientific research was not completed,” he said.

The lawmaker further said the ministries concerned should be summoned to explain to the lawmakers how the chemicals used in the oilfields are disposed of. 

 "So I am calling on these ministers of Petroleum, Environment, and Health to come and clarify again. And we will support them because we know where our report stopped," he said. 

Martin Mabilbong, an SPLM-IO member from Rubkona County, said the issue of children born with deformities appears to be in all the oil-producing states, including Unity State. 

 "Those concerns have been there, and they are still there today. And when we raise issues of concern, or when the communities of those areas raise issues of concern to the oil producing companies, in those conversations, they say that we do not have scientific proof," he said.

However, Mary Yonah, an MP representing Ayod County of Jonglei State, said this is not the first time this same matter has been raised in parliament, urging the assembly to trace earlier recommendations and ensure their implementation.

"My point of information regarding this matter is that this is not the first time such an issue has been raised in this house. It has been raised several times, and several recommendations have been passed to the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Petroleum," she said.

“Let’s trace all these documents to address this issue. It's not an issue that we summon, summon, and don't implement the recommendations already passed in this house."

For her part, Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba clarified that demands for summoning the concerned ministers were based on the need to determine their actions over the matter.

 "The issue is very clear. There are environmental issues in the oil fields. The chemicals are not being disposed of properly. It is affecting people and animals, and this needs to be addressed. So the recommendation here is to call the relevant institutions to come and explain to us what actions they are taking."

Last year, Radio Tamazuj reported that oil pollution badly affected citizens living near oil wells in the Ruweng area.

According to the Petroleum Act of 2012, oil production activities should be done in a way that ensures a high level of health and safety.