New Assistant Commissioner Assumes Office at Nimule Customs as SSRA Launches Administrative Reforms
The South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) has appointed Gatluak Riek Mark as the new Assistant Commissioner of the Nimule Customs Station, marking the start of a series of administrative reforms aimed at improving customs management and strengthening revenue collection at the country’s busiest border crossing.
The handover ceremony was attended by Customs Revenue Division Commissioner John Mading Bol and other senior SSRA officials, who traveled to Nimule to oversee the implementation of six administrative changes approved by Commissioner General Ambassador Moun Deng Ajuet.
Speaking during the event, Bol said the leadership changes were part of the authority’s routine staff rotations and were not linked to the revenue performance of the Nimule Customs Station.
“The transfer of Mr. Jacob Malith to Customs Headquarters is a normal administrative decision designed to strengthen institutional effectiveness. It should not be interpreted as a reflection of the station’s performance,” Bol said.
He added that Malith accepted the reassignment and cooperated fully with the handover process, ensuring a smooth leadership transition.
Following his appointment, Gatluak was directed to implement reform measures endorsed by the High-Level Ministerial Committee on Economic Reforms. The reforms are intended to improve governance, accountability and operational efficiency within the customs service.
As part of the changes, the SSRA will redeploy more than 60 attached customs officers, over 140 non-commissioned officers and more than 200 unclassified personnel to their respective parent units. The affected staff will receive official deployment letters in accordance with the committee’s directives.
The authority is also introducing new customs payment procedures. Under the revised system, all customs duties and related payments by traders, clearing agents and other clients at the Nimule border post will be made through cash deposits into designated bank accounts.
The SSRA said the move eliminates bank-to-bank transfers for customs revenue payments, a measure intended to enhance transparency, accountability and efficiency in revenue collection.
Gatluak previously served as Assistant Commissioner of the Nimule Customs Station before being succeeded by Jacob Malith in March 2026. His return is part of the authority’s broader institutional reform agenda.
Nimule Customs Station is South Sudan’s busiest border post, handling the largest volume of imports and exports and contributing the biggest share of the country’s customs revenue.
The SSRA said the latest reforms are expected to strengthen customs administration, facilitate legitimate cross-border trade and increase domestic revenue mobilization.
