NRA boss Athian Ding Athian/ Profile Photo

The Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority has revoked the $250 agent clearing fee e-customs system at the Nimule border town saying it was negatively impacting trade facilitation.

Athian Ding Athian’s order on 12^TH of September 2023, stated that the charges must be delinked from the E-Customs system to allow clearance agents to deal with their clients independently.

“Only government revenue due on customs declaration shall be collected through the system henceforth to avoid any unintended barriers to trade facilitation,” said Ding in a statement.

Athian directed the Chief Executive Officer of Crawford Capital Limited to reconfigure the system so that NRA e-invoice for customs is generated.

The acting commissioner for customs is also directed to oversee the immediate implementation of this directive.

In a separate order, the acting commissioner for the customs division issued similar order canceling the USD 250 from the E-Customs system.

The letter of Major General Gathon Jual Riak dated 12^TH September 2023, directed all chief customs officers to cancel the collection of clearing agent fees from the e-customs system with immediate effect.

The letter non-tariff barrier, reemphasized Gathon, had caused a negative impact on trade facilitation.

The customs division directed clearing agents to resume their previous way of charging their service fees from their clients directly.

On 26th of January this year, the acting commissioner of the customs division said in a different order, that the laws of the South Sudan customs service do not give the customs division mandate to be collecting fees on behalf of any institutions and therefore clearing agent is not optional