(JUBA) – South Sudan’s tax commissioner general has issued a strong warning to revenue staff working in the hospitality sector, saying reports of officials living in hotels at government expense are unacceptable.
“I heard all the staff working in hospitality. They are the people who are sleeping in hotels here in Juba. They are the ones sleeping in hotels. The taxes that the hotels were to pay have been paid to them to live a happy life from the government shares. I hope you will address this thing, because soon I’m going to fight them,” SSRA Commissioner General Rizig Dominic Samuel said.
“This reflection of opulence and an expensive lifestyle, living in a big VIP room, hotels, on a government account, is unacceptable. That’s unacceptable. And if they are there, let them start changing before we come for you. And even if you are clever and you want to take money from the government shares, you don’t have to show it in our faces. At least hide it.”
Dominic made the remarks on Monday, 19th October 2026, during the launch of a training-of-trainers programme on taxation of the oil, gas and extractive industries and the hospitality sector at SSIRA headquarters in Juba.
The five-day training, running from 19th to 23rd October, brings together 50 participants from the South Sudan Revenue Authority to strengthen their skills in tax assessment, administration and collection.
SSIRA Principal Stephen Analo said the institute had developed policies, procedures and guidelines that were being tested before formal approval.
“We have put in place policies, procedures, and guidelines, which will be coming to your table for approval. But we said we have to test them. We have to prosecute them. We have to see they are working so that when we come to present them, we are presenting things that are working,” Analo said.
He said SSIRA had planned between 10 and 12 training-of-trainers programmes from October to December with support from the African Development Bank.
The programmes will bring in experts from East African countries and the East African Community, and are expected to train more than 200 participants by around 12th December 2026.
Dominic described SSIRA as the engine for building the professional capacity of the authority and said its impact should be reflected in improved tax compliance, better taxpayer services and stronger revenue performance.
He stressed the importance of specialised knowledge in administering taxes in the oil, gas and extractive industries, noting that these sectors require stronger assessment capabilities and effective oversight to ensure all revenue legally due to the country is properly accounted for.
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