The Vice President for the Economic Cluster seeks to recover approximately 9 billion USD in unpaid tax arrears from major oil firms operating in the country.
During a dinner party organized by the National Revenue Authority (NRA) to commemorate the newly appointed NRA Commissioner General on Thursday, Vice President James Wani Igga revealed that the three oil companies collectively own about 500 untaxed subsidiary companies, each of which owes roughly 3 billion USD.
“We have identified the SPOC, DPOC, and GPOC as the three major oil companies, and each of these companies has over 500 subsidiaries that are currently not paying taxes. The total arrears amount to nearly USD 3 billion for each company, which adds up to USD 9 billion. By recovering these funds, we can contribute significantly to the development of South Sudan. You have joined us at the right time, Comrade Athian, and together, let us make efforts to retrieve these unpaid taxes,” stated Igga.
In response, Minister of Finance and Planning, Dier Tong Ngor, urged the NRA to intensify its efforts in addressing the challenges faced by the institution to enhance its performance.
“The NRA encounters various challenges, but the leadership and staff of the organization are committed to resolving them. I encourage everyone to view these challenges as opportunities to prove our capabilities and deliver better results,” said Ngor.
The newly appointed Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority, Athian Diing Athian, is not unfamiliar with overseeing financial institutions in South Sudan. Athian previously served as the Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning in 2018, and later as the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning from 2020 to 2021, before his removal. President Salva Kiir cautioned the incoming minister not to repeat the actions of Athian Diing Athian.
In an unexpected turn of events, President Kiir appointed Athian Diing Athian as the new head of the National Revenue Authority last month. It has been reported that the position should have been publicly advertised, but Athian’s appointment was made through a Republican decree issued by the head of state.
The NRA, established in 2018, is mandated to among others reduce dependency on oil revenues and strengthen the non-oil revenue sector.