By Rebecca Athiang Bol
Governor of Upper Nile State, James Odhok, has issued a stern warning to the State Revenue Authority against channeling tax money into their pockets.
Mr. Odhok made this remark during the inauguration of the state revenue office in Malakal town.
He rather advised them to tighten, control the mode of tax collection, and channel proceeds into the state coffer.
“The mode of revenue collection should be tightened and done at the riverside. Therefore, the money is deposited into the revenue authority bank account,” he said.
He further called on all the tax collectors and commissioners of revenue authority to control how taxes are used, adding that this could help the state renovate the damaged buildings.
“If we don’t do so, we will not be able to renovate our institutions, which are now laying in ruin all over the” state he said, adding that “The revenue authority should have a bank account,”
Governor Odhok appealed to all tax agents to be patriotic and work with honesty by sending the revenue to the state treasury to effect development rather than siphoning the money into their pockets.
“I’m telling you the truth: if we do not have patriotism, we will never achieve anything. Honestly, there is neither a governor nor a minister who will come to collect taxes at the riverside,” he explained.
He urged the personnel to have strong patriotism to deposit the money in the bank accounts of the government, for the state government to be able to develop the area.
“Please know that the development of Upper Nile State depends on you; you should not divert the money in your own pockets,” he cautioned.
Odhok also mooted a plan to have revenue authority units all over the counties in Upper Nile State.
The governor of Upper Nile State further called on the county commissioners to be honest and service-delivery-oriented to ensure the progress of the state.
“I am working on opening the revenue authority units in all the counties. The County Commissioners should deposit their revenue with the government.”
The Upper Nile state governor alleged that some officials receive taxes from organizations in dollars, but when asked to deposit them at the bank, they complain of not taking any money.
According to him, such individuals have the intention of not providing service.