08 Mar 2016

Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele has presented a budget proposal of over P53 million for the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) under the Recurrent Budget for 2016/17. 

Presenting before Parliament , Mr Makgalemele said these represented a total increase of over P2.9 million 0r 5.8 per cent over the 2015/16 estimates. 

Breaking down the proposed budget, he said for salaries and allowances, over P34 million was requested, which represents an increase of 9 per cent over the 2015/16 estimates. 

Over P3.9 million was requested for internal travelling and transport to cover internal costs for subsistence, transport costs, hire charges and the cost of petrol, oil and lubricants for vehicles. 

For external travelling and transport, P1.8 million was requested to assist the Auditor General to meet her obligations as an institutional member of regional and international organisations and conduct audit of Botswana’s foreign missions, said the assistant minister. 

Mr Makgalemele said over P4.6 million would be used for general expenses and supplies including among others, expenses of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the office as well as the 50th independence celebrations of the country, audit software license fees, postal charges and the printing of Auditor General’s reports including those in arrears. 

The House was informed that Departmental Services would require over P5 million to cover rental costs for the office space at the Central Business District. 

As for training, he said P1.7 million was requested under the training account, which remained unchanged over the 2015/16 estimates. 

Mr Makgalemele said the development budget for OAG would be presented as part of the Ministry of State President’s request. 

Meanwhile, he noted that the Office of the Auditor General for the financial year 2015/16 had its own achievements and challenges. 

He said the Auditor General continued to execute her mandate of assuring the nation that public resources have been used for intended purposes in the most efficient, effective and economical manner. 

He noted that in the past year, the OAG audited the accounts of central government departments culminating with the issuance of the audit certificate and Auditor General’s annual report on the accounts of Botswana government for the year 2014/15. 

The assistant minister said the OAG also issued 20 financial audit reports for the financial year 2010/11 and eleven for 2011/13 issued for various Councils and Land Boards. These audits, he added enhanced audit visibility and acted as a deterrent to corruption and fraud. 

The Auditor General also supported the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Local Authorities Public Accounts Committee (LAPAC) and the Committee on Statutory Bodies and State Owned Enterprises in the examination of accounting officers on the use of public resources entrusted to them. ENDS