Deputy Information Minister Dr. Jacob Maiju Korok briefing the press. (Photo: Radio Tamazuj)

The Deputy Information Minister has revealed that the monthly national non-oil revenue collection has increased to 16 billion from 3 billion South Sudanese pounds.

It’s not clear when was the last time the National Revenue Authority collected three billion pounds in taxes.

But in June this year, the Commissioner-General of NRA, Dr. Patrick Mugoya disclosed that they have collected 78 billion pounds in non-oil revenue for the fiscal year 2022/2023.

The amount, according to Mugoya, was 20 billion pounds more than the 58 billion pounds it had projected last year.

At the time, the collection by both the domestic and customs divisions of NRA, was around ten billion pounds each month- as they raised 62 percent and 38 percent respectively.

Speaking in Juba on Friday, Deputy Information Minister, Dr. Jacob Maiju Korok says, the monthly tax collection has now increased to 16 billion pounds – without stating when the increment was first recorded.

However, he attributed this to the setting up of the electronic-tax system implemented in 2021.

“In terms of the success, of the E-service, we managed to support them, and we managed to increase the revenue from three billion a month to 16 million South Sudanese pounds a month,” said Maiju.

“This is a great achievement because the importance of realizing is systems is closing all the whole outputs.”

The e-tax portal was installed by the Juba-based Crawford Company.

Dr. Maiju, who is also the Chairperson of the company’s board members accused some government institutions of resisting the system.

He calls on them to apply the system, saying the use of the e-portal is rewarding as it has improved the revenue collection for the country.

“I want to tell the government institutions resisting the systems that they have to be flexible and apply these systems. These systems are actually giving us a reward, given is an increment of the revenue.”

Established in 2018, the NRA is mandated to assess, collect, administer and enforce laws relating to taxation and revenues.

Its establishment is one of the measures to reduce dependency on oil revenues and strengthen the non-oil.