01 Mar 2015

Gaborone Central MP, Dr Phenyo Butale, says the Office of Auditor General should be removed from control of Office of the President.

Speaking in Parliament on February 25, he said by continuing being under Office of the President and having the Auditor General appointed by the President, compromised ability of the office to perform its duties independently. The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) legislator was debating budget proposals for the Auditor General for the 2015/16 financial year.

“Because this office is compromised this also compromises the ability of Parliament to provide oversight on government departments expenditure because Parliament relies on the Auditor General,” Dr Butale stated. He called on Parliament to ensure that all bodies that were supposed to be independent were truly independent.

However, the MP of Serowe South Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi quashed Dr Butale’s claims, saying the office of Auditor General was independent and did its work satisfactorily. Specially Elected MP, Dr Unity Dow also denied that the Auditor General was functioning under direction from any authority.

Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Eric Molale had proposed budget estimates amounting to P50.8 million, which is an increase of P2.6 million from the 2014/2015 financial year. Mr Molale told Parliament that the whole of these are recurrent budget estimates, with the development estimates of P3.5 million having been covered under the request for Office of the President. He said majority of the recurrent estimates, P31.7 million, will be spent on salaries and allowances.

The minister also briefed Parliament that the Auditor General gave an unqualified opinion on the Auditor General’s Annual Report on the Government’s Annual Statements of Accounts for 2012/13. This means that they are in all material aspects in compliance with the Public Financial Management Act and the Financial Instructions and Supplies Regulations. Parliament approved the budget proposal on February 25.

ENDS