Dr. Attipoe Olympio, Commissioner General National Revenue Authority (NRA) addressing journalists during a press conference in Juba [Photo| Eye Radio/Joakino Francis - June 11, 2019

The National Revenue Authority has revoked exempt status of a multi-million dollar road construction company.

On 14 June, the minister in the office of the President, Mayiik Ayii Deng, wrote to the minister of finance and economic planning, Salvatore Garang – asking him to grant tax-exempt for ARC Resource Corporation Ltd.

In the memo, Mayiik describes ARC as a South Sudanese indigenous company currently engaged in road constructions within Juba and other road trunks leading out of the city.

Citing the letter from the office of the President, the first undersecretary at the ministry of finance – Garang Majak Bol, in turn, wrote to the National Revenue Authority, stating that his boss Salvatore Garang directed him to request tax exemption for the said company.

In the letter dated 17 June, Garang Majak, attached a list of the company imports that should be exempted from taxation.

They include construction materials, machinery, fuel, food items, and petroleum products and lubricants, whose tariffs would amount to nearly half a billion dollars.

On June 26, the commissioner-general of the National Revenue Authority – Dr. Olympio Attipoe – approved the request but pointed out that such equipment, vehicles, and machinery would remain under the NRA until they are re-imported or disposed of.

However, Dr. Attipoe revoked the tax-exempt order today – saying: “This is to enable NRA office to do a background check on the company’s activities as a result of newly available information.”

The revocation also comes a day after the correspondence among the three offices was widely circulated on the social media.

The owner or owners of the ARC Resource Corporation Ltd. nor does it have a known website.

The NRA, which was established last year, is mandated to assess, collect, administrate and enforce laws relating to taxation and revenues.

It created the single treasury account to stop the unnamed officials from diverting the public money.

In March, Dr. Attipoe threatened to name and shame government and bank officials who are still opposed to the single treasury account idea.

So far, it has collected 7 billion pounds and $35 million in just six months – January – June.