Akuei noted that the highest amount of money that has ever been collected by the institution was SSP 61 billion in October this year

By Anat Dut

The new Commissioner General of South Sudan National Revenue Authority, Simon Akuei Deng has pledged to bolster tax administration efforts to achieve its revenue target of SSP 1.1 trillion for the 2024/25 financial year.

Speaking during his reception to the office yesterday, Akuei said, “The national government tasked us to raise SSP1 trillion. I also tasked the institution to collect SSP 90 billion per month to meet the set target.”

Akuei noted that the highest amount of money that has ever been collected by the institution was SSP 61 billion in October this year.

He continued that a tax collector is a patriotic citizen who does not use the money collected for personal gains but for the development of the country.

 “There is a need for infrastructure development through the collected taxes so that the taxpayers can see where their taxes are being invested,” Akuei said.

Meanwhile, Dr. James Alic Garang, the Governor of the Central Bank of South Sudan, who was also the guest of honor at the event, said South Sudan Revenue Authority has done a lot despite missing gaps, which, according to him, need to be filled.

He unveiled the new branch of the Bank of South Sudan recently, established in Nimule, saying it should be utilized to generate more revenue for the country.

However, Dr. Garang urged the new Commissioner General of the South Sudan National Revenue Authority to pick up from where the former commissioner had left to realise the vision of the institution.

On his part, Aggrey Tisa Sabuni, the Technical Advisor on Revenue Affairs, said the institution must provide revenue to the country with or without the oil money to be able to support the government institutions.

Mr. Tisa highlighted that the South Sudan National Revenue Authority does not pay arrears to institutions as it is not a spending agency but rather works to generate revenue for the country for development.

He urged the new commissioner general to do his part as the team will be behind him to render support whenever there is a call.

There has been pressure to increase revenue collection, especially from non-oil sources, following the staggering oil production caused by the ongoing war in Sudan, which resulted into a slowdown in the economy and skyrocket in commodity prices.

Mr. Simon Akuei Deng, the fifth Commissioner General of the South Sudan Revenue Authority, appointed into office last week by President Salva Kiir to replace Africano Mande, is expected to bring fresh breath into the authority.

“There is a need for infrastructure development through the collected taxes so that the taxpayers can see where their taxes are being invested,” Simon Akuei Deng, new Commissioner General of South Sudan National Revenue Authority.