21 Mar 2016

Parliament has approved recurrent supplementary budgets for four ministries, including P288 million for the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) for the 2015/16 financial year. 

Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Mr Kenneth Matambo had last Friday, presented the consolidated fund supplementary estimates.

Parliament has also approved P268.9 million for the Ministry of Health, P16.7 million for the Ministry of Lands and Housing as well as P5.2 million for the Ministry of State President.

On the other hand, Mr Matambo stated that additional funding of P211.4 million to the ministry of education would cater for six per cent salaries adjustments and allowances which effected in April 2015 under headquarters and the Teaching Service Management. 

The minister also explained that part of the supplementary would cover settlement of water and electricity bills amounting to P65.2 million, which he explained had grown significantly due to tariff adjustments of 20 per cent for water and 17.5 per cent for electricity. 

He also said P11.2 million would be used to buy food for feeding secondary schools students.

“This follows the revision in the menu to provide both improvements in quality and special diets for students with unique medical conditions,” Mr Matambo explained.

Further, he said the P268.9 million supplementary budget for the Ministry of Health would cover six per cent salary adjustments for mission hospitals and 30 per cent overtime allowance for nurses amounting to P27.9 million, scarce skills allowance for various professional cadres amounting to P124.9 million, increase in serviced charges of P37.6 million and increase in medical specialists fees amounting to P78.4 million. 

He also explained that the P16.7 million for the Ministry of Lands and Housing would cater for a shortfall in the revenue support grant for the Land Boards, while the P5.2 million for the Ministry of State President would cover the six per cent salary adjustments.

Parliament also adopted a development supplementary fund of P40.7 million for the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism to cover on-going projects such as fleet expansion and acquisition of an aircraft to curb the increasing incidents of poaching. 

Meanwhile, debating the supplementary budget, Vice President, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi expressed his support saying funds would be used in important activities for the five ministries.  

Lentsweletau- Mmopane MP, Mr Vincent Seretse also supported arguing that the money would be used to address important things while Nata Gweta MP, Mr Polson Majaga, commended the plan to expand fleet for the ministry of environment. 

Mr Majaga argued that the ministry was faced with a lot of challenges because of shortage of transport. 

Also deliberating on the supplementary budgets, Ramotswa MP, Mr Samuel Rantuana however expressed misgivings about shortfalls experienced by ministries. 

Mr Rantuana argued that budgeting should be done properly to avoid frequent requests for supplements. Mochudi East MP, Mr Isaac Davids said the ministry of education’s frequent request for supplementary budget showed that there were problems within the ministry. 

That, Mr Davids said also indicated that spending of money was not done properly at the ministry, adding if the issue was allowed to go on unresolved, it could lead to corruption. 

Francistown East MP, Mr Buti Billy also supported the budget but suggested that things like fleet expansion and purchase of aircraft for the ministry of tourism should be done under normal budgeting process. Ends