N. Bahr el Ghazal governor suspends household tax

January 24, 2015 (JUBA) – The caretaker governor of South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, Kuel Aguer Kuel, has suspended taxes levied on households, preferring the matter to be discussed when lawmakers return to the assembly from recess.

Majority wanted taxes imposed based on people’s levels of income and productivity.

But governor Kuel, in a 23 January provisional order, cited article 46 (1) of the state transitional constitution as the basis of the decision, which has been widely backed by citizens.

“This is to reduce the suffering of the population in the state due the crop failure in 2014, high prices of the sorghum in the market and the presence of high percentage of the poor population according to household survey report 2008,” partly reads the order.

This will reduce the suffering of the local people who would have been made to pay tax despite the fact that the area has been badly hit with crop failure in 2014, stressed Kuel.

(ST)