The caretaker government of South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal State will begin collecting annual business taxes and renewing traders’ licences next Monday, ahead of elections scheduled for December, state officials said.
The announcement followed a meeting between state officials and business representatives in Aweil to discuss challenges facing traders, including high taxes, business operating conditions and concerns about market prices.
Caretaker Minister of Information Dominic Kang Deng said the state governor had directed the finance minister to consult businesspeople on the challenges affecting their operations.
Kang said the election schedule had disrupted the usual timetable for renewing traders’ licences and collecting annual taxes, which are normally handled in December.
“We met today and discussed tax increases and the challenges facing the private sector to help the people of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State by reducing market prices,” Kang said.
He said traders had agreed to renew their licences and pay annual taxes before the elections. Revenue collection would begin next Monday across the state’s five counties and two municipalities, he added.
Caretaker Minister of Finance and Investment Garang Yak Kuol said the meeting was part of the government’s annual consultations with traders, but the election timetable had required an adjustment to the revenue collection schedule.
“We shall start our revenue collection next Monday and end it in November to leave a gap so that people can access better prices during the festive season as we enter the election period,” Kuol said.
He thanked traders for their contribution to the local economy and the livelihoods of Aweil residents, saying they had raised several challenges affecting their businesses.
Kuol said the state government would work with the business community to address their concerns and ensure traders’ security during the election period.
“The security of businesspeople is paramount, and measures will be put in place to ensure their safety during the election period,” he said.
He urged traders to cooperate with the government to support economic growth and maintain reasonable prices for goods.
Deng Makol Athian, chairperson of the Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Chamber of Commerce, said traders had agreed to cooperate with the government despite difficulties facing their businesses.
He said high taxes were among their main concerns and called for lower rates to help reduce prices for consumers.
“We, the business community, have agreed to renew our annual traders’ licences and pay the annual rental taxes to the state government despite the many challenges we are facing. We shall cooperate with the government for the sake of our people,” Athian said.
The meeting was attended by the caretaker ministers of Finance and Investment and Information and Communication, the acting mayor of Aweil Town, the Chamber of Commerce chairperson and business representatives from across the state.
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