Patrick Mugoya, the Commissioner-General of the National Revenue Authority - Credit | Moyo Jacob/Eye Radio | May 12, 2022

The Commissioner-General of the National Revenue Authority has appealed to relevant stakeholders to avoid interference in the revenue collection sector.

Dr Patrick Mugoya made the remarks at the validation workshop for the NRA five-year strategic plan in Juba on Wednesday.

The strategic plan aims to provide a structural and administrative framework to boost the collection of non-oil revenue in the country.

The revenue authority has revealed that in the past 10 months, 64.4 billion South Sudanese pounds were collected from non-oil revenue sectors, surpassing the annual budget which is at 58.2 billion pounds.

Meanwhile, the revenue authority has complained of illegal and unauthorized tax collection by members of the organized forces.

Speaking at the validation workshop on Wednesday, Mugoya says unnecessary interference should be avoided.

“I want to plead that NRA should be provided with the necessary space needed to implement the strategic plan without unnecessary interferences but at the same time holding the national revenue authority fully accountable to the government and to the people of South Sudan for the outcome of that implementation,” Dr Mugoya said.

In response, the Vice President for Economic Cluster Dr. James Wani Igga agreed with the Commissioner-General.

Igga urges government institutions to work within their jurisdiction to avoid frustrating the work of the Revenue Authority.

“The commissioner-general referred to before to interferences which is true. If we put too much political interference into the NRA, then it will be paralyzed. We must know when to come in and when not to come in at the right time, yes at the right time,” VP Wani said.

“Of course, Brother Patrick, am sure you are not implying that you will be independent from the ministry of finance. I believe that you are not also implying that the economic cluster will have nothing to do with you because we are the politicians.”