02 Mar 2015

Gaborone Bonnington South MP, Mr Ndaba Gaolatlhe, has called for configuration of certain laws that appoint Auditor General.

Debating Auditor General budget proposal of over P50 million for financial year 2015/2016 that was presented on February 25 by Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Eric Molale, Mr Gaolatlhe commended office of the Auditor General for the level of thoroughness in their work, but called for a configuration of certain laws which he said will enable this office to perform with diligence.

“The manner in which the Auditor General is appointed should be neutral, the auditor general can be appointed by the State President and be endorsed by Parliament because the environment as it is currently compromises the chances as to which the Auditor General is impartial,” he said.

Mr Gaolatlhe posited that there was no reason as to why the president should have a prerogative to appoint without the endorsement of the legislature. 

Furthermore, he said there was need to expand the mandate of the Auditor General to include management of conflict of interest that may arise between the legislature and various government authorities. He added that the office must be tasked to cover special funds such as levies, “it must have a care taking eye at levies imposed,” he said.

On issues in which public accounts go unaudited in some government sections for years, Mr Gaolatlhe said the country needs a remedial framework that capacitates the Auditor General to look into exactly what could be punishment for parastatals or government departments that failed to submit accounts for auditing. 

Joining in the debate Vice president Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi stated that the appointment of the Auditor General by the State President is enshrined in the constitution which also applies to other institutions such as the Judiciary in which he is entitled to appoint Judges, Secretary General of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and others.

He said these officers are experts who discharge their mandate professionally and without any bias adding that the Auditor General is accredited and admitted to accounting bodies locally and regionally capable of taking him/her to task if found to be partial in her work.“ it is a fallacious view point to assume that because they are appointed by the President they are bound to be partial,” he said. 

Throwing in a point of clarification, Mogoditshane MP Mr Sedirwa Kgoroba posed to Mr Masisi that the fact that they are appointed by the state president they are bound to work partially. 

He said currently the issue of appointment of Judges by the President has caused uproar in the judicial circles which necessitate a reform of the appointment procedure.

In response, Mr Masisi hinged his point on the law and referred legislators to the constitution, “This is what we have and we must live with it,” he said. 

Contributing to the debate, Assistant Minister of Education Mr Moiseraela Goya said having served in the Public Accounts Committee himself he has found the Auditor General’s office to be doing a commendable job through their provision of oversight on public accounts.

 He however suggested that performance audit reports are still lagging behind adding that triple ‘Es’ (Effective, Efficient and Economical) should be put into effect.

Mr Goya further said as the economy grows government wants to move from cash/ Current Based Accounting to Accrual based Accounting in which expenses are matched with related revenues and reported when the expense occurs, and not when cash is paid, which he said the office of the Auditor General should improve on this.

The Palapye legislator further said local authorities in district councils whose audit reports are still behind should be attended to for the reason that audits of both the central government and local government should work in tandem. 

Responding to comments made by legislators on the 2015/2016 budget proposal for Office of Auditor General which passed, Mr Molale, appreciated and assured legislators that necessary reforms will be instituted such as the move from current accounting to accrual accounting. 

He also buttressed that “people should desist from calling for independence of the Auditor General, we must obey the constitution,” he said. ENDS