South Sudan lawmakers say NRA chief ‘cannot escape’ parliament

JUBA – South Sudan’s Transitional National Legislative Assembly has renewed a summons for the commissioner of the National Revenue Authority (NRA) to appear before lawmakers and answer questions about non-oil revenue collection.

Africano Mande failed to attend a previous summons last week along with Finance Minister Marial Dongrin Ater, parliament said.

“A reminder has been sent to him for him to appear in the Parliament,” said Oliver Mori Benjamin, parliament spokesperson and chair of the Information Committee. “He cannot escape the Parliament.”

Lawmakers want to understand the amount, mode of remittance, bank accounts under the authority’s control and total revenue collected from the non-oil sector, Benjamin said.

President Salva Kiir Mayardit has urged the finance minister to crack down on those benefiting from non-oil revenue and create a single account for remittance.

He said revenue from the sector could help pay civil servants and the armed forces.