Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The Ministry of Mining has dismissed a recent report on gold production, accusing its authors of bias and releasing the study without government approval.
The report, published by SWISS-AID last week, said South Sudan’s gold economy is largely controlled by small-scale and artisanal miners who work independently, often using basic tools.
According to the findings, government authorities have struggled to regulate mineral extraction, creating space for international traders, armed groups, and corrupt officials to exploit the sector.
The study also stated that mining in South Sudan is “poorly regulated and enforcement is weak,” and described the industry as marked by “informality, opacity, and secretiveness.”
It further claimed that the Ministry of Mining does not release official production data and that the country is not a member of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.
Responding to the report, Undersecretary Mathiok Santino told reporters in Juba on Monday that the ministry had not seen the study and questioned its credibility.
“Any report that is not published on our official social media platforms is null and void because its findings were not presented to the Ministry of Mining. Therefore, the report might be biased and not authentic.
“The mining acts clearly outline the rules governing exploration, production, and how the government should manage minerals in the country. So, any report released without our authorization is null and void,” he said.
“If you have findings, you must first submit them to the Ministry of Mining. We have stakeholders and partners, including UNDP, who also produce reports about the ministry. Any Swiss report—we have not seen it.
“They have not presented it to us for review, so we cannot know its findings. Therefore, it is not authenticated and may be biased. Any biased report can mislead the public, and those responsible can be held accountable. We cannot entertain such reports.”
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