By Bida Elly David
The Minister of Cabinet Affairs has reiterated government’s commitment to resolve the numerous challenges impeding financial institutions to improve the fiscal and monetary sector in the country.
He made this statement while briefing journalists shortly after the council of minsters’ meeting on Friday regarding the current status of the country.
Over the past years, South Sudan has been battled by number of balance of payment problems as a result of malpractices driven from the institutions responsible in accumulation of the Country’s finances.
Recently, National Revenue Authority (NRA) reported number of malpractices at the borders as some officials responsible in collection of tariffs at the customs couldn’t perform to the expectation of the management.
The NRA then came up with a document stating their strategic plan on the improvement of their performance as well as mechanisms to improve the Country’s treasury.
With this, the Council of ministers recommended quick intervention aimed at resolving the impeding constraints that jeopardized the activities of the national revenue authority suggesting increment of the Country’s collection from 80 Billion to 367 Billion over five years.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro, the national minister of Cabinet Affairs pointed out that some of the Country’s financial institutions have been hit up by number of challenges that needed immediate solutions to boost their work.
He said that the cabinet has also resolved exemption of foreign investors from paying tariffs as a mechanism to generate foreign exchange into the Country.
He further underscored that government has laid strategy aimed to increase collection from SSP 80 billion which is being collected to SSP 367 billion over five years to make 368% increases.
At the same note, he reiterated that the plan was also intended to amend the way revenue authority operates in generating money for the Country’s treasury.
However, Elia underscored that the strategy would also reconsider improvement of remuneration and induction for the employees at the national revenue authority.
He revealed that paying good salaries to the employees would be one of the ways to improve their performance and morals as well as reduce malpractices.
“The government of South Sudan has already approved the bilateral avoidance of the double taxations in prevention of psychical eviction where by companies will not be tax twice” he said.
“Thought we didn’t have looked at the strategic plan, it is the first plan of the national revenue authority that is intended to improve on the performance of the revenue authority as we know the authority is facing a lot of challenges in producing enough money for the government to function well’ he added.
Dr. Lomuro said that the strategic plan has been endorsed for five years from 2022 to 2027 to be accompanied by immediate execution.
The plan has a number of key areas which are the 11 strategic objectives, 42 strategic initiatives, implementation matrix performance measures and financing structure.
In another development, Dr. Lomuro stated that the government remained committed to resolve the tribulations distressing the people of Abyei and called on the Ngok to be patient as the border issues shall be addressed.
The Cabinet Affairs Minister as well said that the Ministry of health has been rendered financial approval or grants to battle Ebola virus through continuous awareness and other measures.