CEPO calls for dialogue on non-oil revenue return to states
A rights group has called for dialogue between the National Revenue Authority (NRA) and state governments on non-oil revenue return to states.
Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), stated yesterday that there were wrangles related to the centralisation of non-oil revenue which block transparency among states governments.
“It is genuine and educative for NRA to carryout sincerely an honest dialogue with each state across the country on matters of non-oil revenue sources clarifications between the central government and state government in relation to obligation to collect and utilise,” Yakani stated.
“This has made some state governments aggressive on traders and companies, including the imposition of double taxation by some states government.” “CEPO engagement on Revenue Payment Civic Orientation realised that most state governments are not impressed by the centralisation of some non-oil revenue sources.”
He lauded President Salva Kiir Mayardit for transferring the Customs Department from the Ministry of Interior to the NRA, stressing that it was a positive gesture to ensure transparency in non-oil revenue collection.
On May 25, 2022, the Vice President for Economic Cluster, Dr James Wani Igga, called on National Revenue Authority (NRA) to increase non-oil revenue collection to 100 billion per annum.
According to Yakani, CEPO carried out a one-month situation assessment on the impacts of the directive from May 25th, 2022 to June 25th, 2022.
The results indicated that the NRA should be returning centralized revenue to the states to limit the chances of non-compliance to delivering enough services to the public due to inadequate revenue.
