Tax audit and investigations carried out on private and public businesses have been suspended by the National Revenue Authority, NRA.

According to the revenue board, no organization, company or individual business is allowed to deal with tax officers from the Taxation Directorate without permission from the NRA.

This comes after the Revenue Authority said it was developing a taxpayer database in a bit to diversify revenue sources for the country.

The head of the body, Dr Olympio Attipo said the authority is working on redefining roles within the various departments of the institution in order to streamline its activities.

“Effective tomorrow on the 1st of May, all tax audit and investigation in the Republic of South Sudan normally carried out by the taxation directory have been suspended until further notice,” he said.

“This is to ingest some sort of discipline and redefine our roles and responsibility in the tax audit administration.”

Dr Attipo said taxe officers will no longer be allowed to deal with any business without a letter of authorization from the Commissioner General of the Revenue Authority.

“Any officer who will enter into business premises for tax audit purpose, that officer must have a letter of engagement signed by the Commissioner General. Without a letter of engagement, the businesses, private individuals should not allow any officer to enter into their premises for tax audit and investigation.”

The NRA is mandated to assess, collect, administrate and enforce laws relating to taxation and revenues.