Africa-Press – South-Sudan. JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) — The former Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Bak Barnaba Chol, delivered a blunt assessment of South Sudan’s revenue collection system, citing “chaos,” a lack of ethics, and a dangerous decline in national coffers.
Speaking at the South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) Institute on Monday, February 23, 2026—just a few hours before his dismissal—Dr. Bak questioned the integrity of the country’s two primary sources of revenue: domestic taxes and customs duties.
The Minister did not mince words regarding the current state of revenue collection, specifically pointing to the Nimule border, the country’s busiest trade artery. He described a system plagued by non-compliance and a disconnect between leadership and clearing agents.
“I have seen these revenues dropping every month—USD dropping, SSP dropping,” Dr. Bak stated. “Nobody wants to comply with the system. The little you have in your pocket is yours, not the government’s money. There is chaos everywhere.”
Dr. Bak highlighted a “lack of cooperation” as the primary driver behind the dwindling reserves, warning that the current culture of personal gain over national interest is unsustainable.
Beyond the technical failures, Dr. Bak framed the tax crisis as a moral one. He challenged civil servants and citizens to consider the future of the country, arguing that a nation cannot exist without a functioning tax system.
“We need to learn ethics and understand that this is our country,” he urged the audience. “If you don’t pay taxes, you don’t have a nation. We need to start talking to ourselves honestly. Do we really want to develop? Do we want to stay in South Sudan? Do we want to develop for the next generation?”
The Minister concluded his remarks with a simple but firm directive: revenue administration can only happen once the revenue is actually collected. He urged a shift in mindset to prioritize the act of payment before debating how those funds are managed.
“These are the simple questions. And if we answer them, we will be able to administer revenues. Let’s pay first, and then administer them,” he concluded.
Dr. Bak was dismissed from his position on Monday evening in a presidential decree, leaving behind a stark warning that South Sudan’s economic stability depends entirely on the transparency and patriotism of its revenue collectors.
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