Authorities in Lakes have disclosed that the State revenue authority has collected over 80 million South Sudanese Pounds in the two months.
The non-oil revenues collected were for the months of January and February 2022.
The announcement was made during an extraordinary cabinet meeting chaired by Governor Rin Tueny Mabor on Tuesday in Rumbek.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, the State Minister of Information and Communication William Koji Kerjok said the amount was amassed from the sale of river sand, livestock, timbers, trade licenses and other businesses.
“The money collected is 80,461,418 South Sudanese Pounds. This was the money reported and this is the amount collected in a period of 2 months,” William said.
William Koji stated that the amount collected will be used to finance operational costs of the state government.
“The council of ministers agreed together and directed the minister of finance and economic cluster to allocate this money accordingly,” William said.
Meanwhile, an activist in the state has commended the government for declaring the revenue collections.
Daniel Laat, who works as Coordinator for the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), described as positive the step taken by the state in announcing the collections.
“This is a right that the state government prioritize supporting local initiatives that supports development programs at all levels of governance,” Laat said.
“CEPO encourages the state government institutions to closely engaged with state parliamentarians to careful allot priorities and strengthen rules of law and human rights institutions in order to clamps down criminals incidences in the borders and within the state”, he added.
The latest announcements make lakes the only state so far to disclose non-oil revenue collections.
Chapter four of the revitalized agreement indicates that the unity government creates a high-level proficient and active oversight mechanism that shall control revenue collection, budgeting, allocation and expenditures.
It also says the wealth of South Sudan shall be shared equitably to enable all levels of the government to discharge functions.