Government launches online tax payment system for businesses

JUBA – The government has launched an E-tax payment system that will allow public and private institutions to pay taxes online in a bid to improve tax collection system in the world’s youngest country.

The E-Tax system aims at accelerating the modernization and automation of tax process so as to gather additional taxpayer data which will lead to raise tax compliance rates.

Albino Chol, Commissioner of Domestic Tax Division of National Revenue Authority said the system will increase the collection of revenues.

“The E-tax system is efficient and it is going to close all leakages that occurred and by efficiency, we are improving the collection taxes as we close the windows of leakages, we will collect more revenue,” Chol told reporters in Juba during the launched of the system.

He said the e-tax system will close the leakages which occurred when the country was using a manual system to tax payment.

“The introduction of this system is close leakages that might have occurred knowingly and unknowingly. We want to ensure that there are no more leakages which should occur by this system,” he stated.

The Commissioner explained that the e-tax system will enable taxpayers to pay taxes electrically.

“The taxpayer will be registered and pay online. Everything will be done electronically and there will be a connection between the states and Juba to allow taxpayers to still apply outside Juba,” he said.

He said that the commission has trained a good number of staff to run the system and assist anybody that needs assistance.

“We have to be prepared in terms of electricity as well as in terms of electronic equipment. They are not available but they have to be provided in order for this launching to be successful,” he stressed.

Ajang Ajang Lino, Deputy Commissioner of Domestic Tax Division of National Revenue Authority said that the system will be phased out in a gradual manner.

“We would like to inform you that it is mandatory to use the E-TAX  platform effective 1st July 2021 for declaring and filing returns, paying taxes, or accessing other tax-related services or obtaining Tax Clearance Certificate,”  Ajang told reporters on Tuesday.

Lino said that the commission is using the strongest available security features and technology to ensure the safety of privacy and money of taxpayers.

“We have set precautions that will be very difficult to hoax your account. When you are registering, you will provide all details such as your email and phone number, and you will be given a one-time password to safeguard details,” he said.