South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
The government on Tuesday said that it is considering reducing the fee levied on each cargo truck crossing into the country at the Nimule border near Uganda.
This came during the meeting in Juba, attended by the national minister of trade and industry, William Anyuon Kuol, officials from the national Ministry of Finance and National Revenue Authority (NRA) and officials from the national chamber of commerce aimed to resolve complaints by traders over the exorbitant 350 U.S dollar fee levied on each cargo truck.
“The meeting is concerned with the crisis that is coming up at the (Nimule) border, recently, the government introduced electronic cargo tracking note, this system got some issues, the business community have not complied and they are complaining about fees levied on each truck,” Kuol told journalists after the meeting.
In March 2024, the ministry of finance and planning introduced the Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN).
The ECTN is being implemented by Invesco Uganda Ltd, under supervision by the Customs Revenue Division of NRA.
“We agree with Invesco Company that brought this system and based on that, we promise traders that we will be able to review the contract, we will review the contract to make sure that we reduce the 350 dollars that we levied on each truck so that traders will be able to comply,” Kuol said.
“We have decided to suspend (tax) collection from abroad, especially in Kenya or Uganda, we decided to ask Invesco to come here to South Sudan, so that we share issues of concern because this is something that is alarming,” he added.
Kuol revealed that traders are also complaining about the illegal checkpoints along the busy Nimule road, adding that illegal checkpoints have been banned by both the national government and state authorities.
“We have been urging them that we do not need illegal checkpoints, there should be no checkpoints on the road that take unnecessary taxes because traders add taxes on goods that they sell and later on prices become very expensive,” he said.
Kuol disclosed that clearing companies in Eldoret, Kenya are levying 2000 dollars per cargo truck, which has contributed to a hike in prices of goods and commodities destined for South Sudan.
He hailed the Electronic Cargo Tracking Note, saying it has helped the government to increase g non-oil revenue collection compared to previous years.
“This electronic cargo tracking system will enable the government of South Sudan to generate enough revenues because we do not need to depend on oil revenue,” Kuol said.
Lado Lukak, the chairperson for the National Chamber of Commerce, commended the government for its decision to release all cargo trucks carrying essential goods that have been stuck at the Nimule border over the exorbitant fee levied by customs.
“We have discussed with the national minister of trade and industry the high prices in the market, and the issue of trucks stranded in Bibia, Elegu and Nimule because of the 350 dollars, in 15 days all vehicles will come to Juba,” Lukak said.
He said several traders are protesting at the border over the hefty fee being charged on trucks by Invesco and customs.
