17 Nov 2019

Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) has hailed the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development for its efforts in the fight against corruption.

Addressing participants at the ministry’s anti-corruption day in Maun on November 15, DCEC acting regional coordinator, Mr Thuso Gaolebe, said the commemoration was testimony of the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that anti-corruption interventions and messages were taken to the people.

The event, he said, also offered an opportunity to reflect on the challenges and success in the fight against corruption.

Mr Gaolebe said the ministry’s partnership with DCEC had been commendable, having successively celebrated the day on annual basis together at various locations.

The event, he said, was a mirror of an anti-corruption day which Botswana had been celebrating since 2011.

Mr Gaolebe said  the ministry was committed to the fight against corruption and recognition of their role, particularly in the transformation of the economy, a pledge that had been made by the ministry for many years.

Again, he said hosting such an event was further assurance to the public and the nation that the ministry promoted zero tolerance to corruption and adhered to best practices.

He also commended the finance ministry for the just-ended Corruption Prevention Committee mid-term review which was held from December 13-14.

Mr Gaolebe applauded the ministry for developing customised benchmarks and standards, which he encouraged other institutions to implement.

That, he said, was because fighting corruption was not solely for the directorate, but for all to put resources together and rid the nation from the scourge.

Furthermore, Mr Gaolebe urged employees to embrace the ministry’s anti-corruption strategies as a critical component towards creation and maintaining credible integrity systems.

Meanwhile, Botswana has successfully and successively celebrated the anti-corruption day following ratification and accession in June 2011 to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) which came into being on December 31, 2003.

This year’s United Nations (UN) anti-corruption day commemoration will be held in Ghanzi on December 9,.

Acting deputy permanent secretary in the finance ministry, Ms Nthoyapelo Motshwane said this year’s UN anti-corruption commemoration theme came an opportune time and was apt as different countries, Botswana included, defined themselves in terms of aspirations of a global community, hence the need to be united against an impediment that had no borders.

Ms Motshwane also indicated that human development at individual, community, national, regional and international levels was defined in terms of a conducive environment characterised by openness, objectivity, fairness, competitiveness and value for money as well as returns on investment.

She said it was thus befitting that her ministry rallied behind the global campaign message, which she said was an appeal to all to take note and identify negative effects of corruption on education, health, justice, prosperity and development.

Ms Motshwane noted that one of the key aspects in the fight against corruption involved assurance that national financial and economic resources were not diverted for personal use at the expense of communities and societal needs. Ends