Civil society body urges Lakes State MPs to summon revenue authority
March 21, 2022 (RUMBEK) – Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has urged lawmakers in Lakes State to summon the state revenue authority and state finance ministry to explain the domestic taxes collection and utilization.
In a statement issued on March 19, 2022, the civil society entity “called upon the Commissioner of Local Revenues Authority in Lakes state to make public reports on domestic revenues collected with the spirit of transparency and accountability”.
“Since the establishment of the state-local revenue authority’s administration in Lakes state, the departments’ tasks for collection remain zero cash in their offices to support and facilitate their operations as the running cost,” the statement read in part.
CEPO’s Lakes State coordinator, Daniel Laat Kon said the state government needed to declare in its public reports all the revenue that were collected since the establishment of the revenue authority several months ago.
“This will reduce malpractices and dependency on oil revenues bolster non-oil revenues sector and strengthen expenditure control in the state government institutions,” he said.
South Sudan was ranked as the most corrupt amongst the 180 countries in the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International (TI).
In January, the Troika member states called for expedition in the implementation of public financial management reforms in South Sudan, saying strengthening of such reforms demonstrate government’s commitment to reform process and enhance trust with global partners.
South Sudan made significant progress on public financial management reforms, including prudent monetary policy, successful foreign exchange reform and steps towards sounder public cash management.
Meanwhile, CEPO urged the IMF to ensure that the United Nations Convention against Corruption is implemented and its outcomes reviewed.
Revenues from oil constitute over 98 percent South Sudan’s annual budget.
(ST)