By Bida Elly David
President Salva Kiir has removed the commissioner general of the national revenue authority in a presidential decree on Friday evening.
Dr. Patrick Kennedy Mugoya, a Tanzanian national was axed via a presidential decree read over the state-run South Sudan Broadcasting Cooperation (SSBC) Radio and TV.
Government of the Republic of South Sudan hired the former revenue expert in October 2020 with the aim of empowering the country’s non-oil revenue institution.
Dr. Mugoya had replaced his predecessor, Olympio Attipo, a Nigeria national who first managed the National Revenue Authority.
According to the decree, Dr. Mugoya’s removal was due to the deadline of breach of agreement.
In a separate decree, president Kiir appointed Athian Ding Athian the former minister of finance as a successor to the former NRA commissioner general.
South Sudan National Revenue Authority (NRA) was established in 2018 with a mandate to reduce dependency on oil revenues and strengthen the non-oil revenue sector.
However, Article 16 (1) of the National Revenue Authority Act 2016, states that the position of the commissioner-general shall be filled through a competitive process by publicly advertising the vacancy and the selection and recommendation of the suitable candidate shall be made by the minister for appointment by the country’s president.
Meanwhile, No. 1 Citizen daily Newspaper has not come across any advert published on NRA commissioner general’s post falling vacant prior to Dr. Mugoya’s relief and appointment of Athian Diing Athian as his successor.