29 May 2014

Ministry of Lands and Housing has experienced under-expenditure due to its two major projects that started late.

The permanent secretary in the ministry, Mr Thato Raphaka said when reporting to the Public Accounts Committee in Gaborone on May 27 stating that the two projects were Palapye and Metsimotlhabe.

Mr Raphaka stated that Metsimotlhabe project led to low expenditure, since the manner in which it was adjudicated was not procedural leading to the issue being taken to court.

He explained that majority of projects were challenged by those who had submitted their bids just before they could go to Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board(PPADB), hence the challenges they were going through. He said the ministry was now planning to transfer funds allocated for the projects concerned to other projects across the country.

Mr Raphaka was answering a question asked by Member of Parliament for Shoshong, Mr Phillip Makgalemele who had wanted him to explain what could have led to under-expenditure in the ministry.

The MP requested Mr Raphaka to explain what the ministry was doing to ensure that all approved projects ran smoothly to avoid litigating cases, noting that close to 53 per cent of development budget has not been used.

Mr Kentse Rammidi MP for Kanye North and also a committee member expressed concern at extent that the ministry was making use of the services offered by the Attorney General’s Chambers to assist them in adhering to procedures when adjudicating tenders, noting that the nation seems to be turning into a litigating society.

In response, Mr Raphaka said the ministry has decided to engage the Attorney General’s Chamber before they could embark in any project so that there would not be any loopholes. He said they have put strategies in place to ensure that project management ran smoothly citing risk management. ENDS