Governors ‘not transparent’ on personal income tax – watchdog

JUBA – South Sudan civil society organization, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has said that state governors are not transparent on personal income tax (PIT) which it said constitute a big source of revenue for the country.

In a statement signed by the CEPO’s Executive Director Edmund Yakani, the civil society watchdog said the Council of States’ committee which deals with financial issues should scrutinize how the PIT in the states are being collected and ultimately used by the state governments.

“CEPO has recently realized that almost all the state governors are not transparent on the management of the state revenue from Personal Income Tax (PIT). The PIT constitutes a sound source of revenue for the state governments but there is proper information on the management of the PIT in the states and administrative areas,” the statement reads in part.

“The Council of States relevant committees on finance management and administration in the states should constitute a committee for investigation of the use of PIT aim at the states. We are petitioning the Council of State leadership to take proactive action for checking the states leadership on transparent use of the PIT,” the statement added.

The statement further said that it “It is time for the Council of State leadership to ensure that systems on transparent and proper utilization of the PIT are in place and it is functionally.”

“CEPO is urging the council of states leadership to intervene urgently on the PIT management at the states because it is leading the states organs namely the legislative and executive to clashes.”