13 Feb 2020

Councilors for Maun Administration Authority (MAA) have called for an intensive revenue generation drive to complement government efforts.

This came to the fore at the 2020/2021 budget presentation by the finance committee chairperson, Mr Luke Motlaleselelo of Bojanala ward.

The councillors adopted the budget but emphasised the need to increase efforts in revenue collection.Mr Motlaleselelo said the total estimated budget for MAA 2020/2021 was P191 404 170 million made up of revenue support grant of P184 642 240 million and an estimated P6 761 930 million as own revenue.

Mr Motlaleselelo said the largest share of budget went to personnel at about P79 281 990.

He said the second largest share of the budget went to Special Expenses at about P68 420 520 with about half of the money going to relief of destitute.

Regarding departments, he said that the Department of Social and Community Development was budgeted for about P56 106 060. He said the second department with a large share was the department of Education with about P25 772 000. Mr Motlaleselelo said the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering had the third largest share of about P24 104 000 with the transport management division leading followed by the roads division.

He said the share for the special expenses budget on destitute programme showed that the council’s efforts to have people who graduated from the poverty eradication programme bore less results.

When commenting, councillor for Boyei, Mr Ntlogelang Kebonyekgotla said the MAA must increase its revenue collection to help on other critical areas as infrastructure in schools. Mr Kebonyekgotla also said the budget for roads was decreasing over the years, which was a concern, saying Maun required a good road network for economic benefit to the locals and tourism.

Councilor for Sedie Mr Kaukapita Kaukapita said poor planning delayed completion of projects, citing funds that were allocated for some internal roads which were diverted to other projects instead of completing the existing ones.

MAA chairperson, Mr Vepaune Moreti advised the councillors to utilise the limited resources available to develop Maun and their council wards.

Regarding tendering processes, Mr Moreti said they had advised that the tendering process be implemented on time and precisely with the help of the adjudication and evaluation committees to guard against challenges of delay experienced due to queries from businesses people.

The North West District Council chairperson, Mr Kebareeditse Ntsogotho said the tendering process was the cause for delay in project implementation. ENDs