Govt urged to prioritise salary arrears after SSP 138 billion tax revenue report

A civil society activist has urged South Sudan’s caretaker government to prioritise unpaid civil servants’ salaries and soldiers’ wages after the country collected 138 billion South Sudanese pounds in domestic taxes in the first 15 days of October.

CEPO Executive Director Edmond Yakani welcomed the South Sudan Revenue Authority’s disclosure of the revenue figures, describing it as a positive step towards transparency. However, he called on the government to account for how the money would be spent and ensure it addresses the needs of citizens.

Yakani said clearing salary arrears for civil servants and paying soldiers should be among the government’s top priorities.

He also called for increased investment in healthcare and education, citing shortages of medicines and basic hospital supplies in some parts of the country.

Yakani pointed to a hospital in Tambura, where he said beds lacked mattresses and bed sheets, while other hospitals faced shortages of essential medicines.

“We hope this money can be used for priorities that really respond to the needs of the citizen. And on the top of the priority that responds to the needs of the citizen, number one is the payment of civil servants’ salary arrears,” Yakani said.

He added that this should include the salaries of soldiers providing security and called for improved medical services in communities with limited access to healthcare.

The CEPO director also urged the government to use part of the revenue to support agriculture at the local government level, while ensuring that public spending does not undermine preparations for the general elections scheduled for December 2026.

Yakani said civil society organisations had welcomed previous disclosures of government revenue but continued to seek greater accountability in the use of public funds.

He also questioned why South Sudanese pounds remained scarce in commercial banks despite the reported collection of substantial domestic tax revenue.

According to the South Sudan Revenue Authority’s official Facebook page, Acting Commissioner for Domestic Tax Revenue Angelo Aguot announced the figures during a visit by Commissioner General Rizig Dominic Samuel to the division’s offices in Juba on Tuesday evening.

The authority reported collecting the revenue despite operational challenges.