A conference organized by the National Revenue Authority has resolved to promote cooperation and harmony between the national and state revenue collection institutions.

The two-day non-oil revenue collection conference brought together governors and administrators from across the country to review and adopt efficient ways of collecting and remitting resources.

It was noted during discussions that there are differences of opinion and overlapping laws on the collection and remitting of taxes into the single treasury account.

“There was also an issue of frequent working friction between the NRA and the state level authorities,” said Joseph Chigongoli, NRA representative.

The Single Treasury Account, where all government revenues are wired into, was opened by the NRA and became operational in December 2018.

Some state governors, however, complained that the central government had monopolized tax collection and not remitting the shares back to the states.

This, they explained, paralyzed delivery of services and payment of salaries at the state levels.

The participants suggested amendment of the tax law and ensuring the NRA supports capacity-building and good working relations with the states.

The governors also want the NRA to ensure the national Ministry of Finance and Planning disburse funds to states that generate non-oil revenues.

Established in 2018, the National Revenue Authority is mandated to assess, collect, administrate and enforce laws relating to taxation and revenues.

Its establishment is one of the measures meant to reduce dependency on oil revenues, strengthen the non-oil revenue sector and strengthen expenditure control required to achieve short-term fiscal austerity objectives.

Prior to this, taxpayers’ money was getting diverted into accounts that were opened and managed by some senior government officials, according to reports.

Speaking on behalf of the governors, Jonglei State’s Denay Chagor said there was need to organize another conference to address all the concerns of the state revenue collection authorities.

“We called upon the NRA to arrange another meeting where we would sit together to deliberate more on this issues – how we could see how to work together,” Chagor stated.

According to the Public Financial Management and Accountability Act 2011, all levels of government in South Sudan shall hold all income and revenue received in public accounts and subject them to public scrutiny and accountability.

In 2020, President Salva Kiir and Vice President James Wani Igga admitted that non-oil revenues were getting diverted by senior officials.