Clearing agents given ultimatum to apply for new licenses
The South Sudan Customs Service Division has given until 1st March 2022 for clearing agents registered with the National Revenue Authority to obtain new licenses amid a transition to a digital dispensation.
Maj. Gen. Akol Ayii Madut, the Director-General of the Customs Service Division, directed clearing agents to register for the acquisition of the new license online.
“All clearing agents registered with NRA Customs Division must apply for new licenses by 1st March 2022 strictly through www.customs.eservices.gov.ss. Old licenses will be rendered inactive from 1st March 2022,” said the Director-General.
Akol, who also serves as the Commissioner for Customs Service Division of the National Revenue Authority, said no taxes should be paid manually to random officers upon the implementation of the order.
“No taxes or payments should be paid manually to any customs officers at any level except through the said system, using the National Revenue Authority (NRA) e-invoice system in which the said e-invoices have been integrated with all commercial banks dealing with NRA,” he said.
The Director-General explained that the new development was aimed at eradicating leakages in revenue collection, especially from the non-oil sector, adding that failure to abide by the order would attract consequences.
“This order is made to eliminate revenue leakages and failure to comply with the above orders will be met with punishable laws of the Republic of South Sudan,” he warned.
The directive comes in handy with an Order No. 001/2022 A.D dated 1st February 2022, in which Akol called for full digitalization of the Customs Service Division.
“As guided during the last meeting of the Sectoral Committee on Customs held in Arusha from 25th to 29th October 2021 in regards to Customs system integration with EAC partner States as well as the recent decline in revenue collection at Customs Division, I hereby order the 100% Digitalization of Customs taxes and payments at all Border points (but not limited to Nimule, Nadapal, Mombasa, Kaya, Renk, and Juba International Airport of the Republic of South Sudan by 1st March 2022 via www.customs.eservices.gov.ss,” the order reads in part.
Revenue collection loopholes
The digital transition by the Customs Service Division comes following a meeting in which President Salva Kiir directed the Commissioner-General of NRA, Dr Patrick Mugoya, Minister of Finance and Planning Agak Achuil, Minister of Trade and Industry Kuol Athian Mawien, to fix the revenue collection loopholes in the non-oil sector.