S. Sudan’s Interior Minister orders closure of 14 illegal checkpoints
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By Julius N. Uma
September 19, 2011 (NIMULE) - Alarmed by the illegal collection of
taxes at border points and check-points within the country, South
Sudan’s interior ministry has ordered for the immediate closure of 14
involved in illegal tax collection.
JPEG - 23.8 kb
Checkpoint, Agok, South Sudan (World is Witness)
The new directive was part of resolutions derived at a closed door
meeting convened by Salva Mathok Gengdit, the country’s deputy
interior minister in Juba, the South Sudan capital on 13 September.
The main agenda of the meeting, sources told Sudan Tribune, was to
streamline the work of check-points and border entries connected with
revenue collection and security matters.
Kengan Jakor Beyo, the deputy minister for commerce; Loluke Nartision
Manir, the deputy governor of Eastern Equatoria state; and Gordon
Micah Kur, the acting inspector general of police were among
government officials attending the meeting.
Of the 17 agents said to be involved in revenue collection at border
points, only six of them were reportedly authorised.
Those authorised by law include, customs, immigration (permits and
visa), taxation (exercise duty), state authority (revenue collection)
and commerce and supply.
“All other illegal sources of taxation should cease immediately,”
partly reads a directive contained in the minutes of the meeting.
During the meeting, the deputy interior minister reportedly ordered
the closure of 14 check-points, including those at Juba Bridge, Bor
junction, Rajaf, Gumba junction, Pageri, Genja, Loka, Gulumbi, Morobo
town, Lainya, Mobil, Jebel Gudele (relocated at Rokon), Northern
airport and Bilpham.
The meeting also resolved that only 10 checkpoints remain functional.
These include Nimule exit; Amee junction; Nesitu junction; Nimule
entry; Jebel Kujur (to be relocated to Digala); Yei entry; Bazi; Kaya
entry; and Lasou and Muni check-points.
The Interior Ministry has also advocated “those [officials] who have
overstayed for more than two years or one year and built a powerful
base must be transferred,” in the directive.
The move comes less than a week after South Sudan’s leadership passed
a resolution seeking to end malpractices in the tax collection system,
which have reportedly resulted in the loss of hundreds of millions of
dollars through unauthorised tax collectors.
Also, acommittee recently formed by the president of the of South
Sudan, Salva Kiir, to investigate the situation has revealed that
unauthorised levies and taxes on essential imported goods and services
are also causing a hike in prices. The committee is chaired by Stephen
Dhieu, the country’s minister of petroleum and mining.
(ST)
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