27 Feb 2020

Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration has requested Parliament to approve over P1.6 billion and over P582 million for the ministry’s recurrent and development budget respectively for the 2020/2021 financial year.

Presenting the ministry’s budget proposals on February 25, Mr Kabo Morwaeng explained that there was an increase of 8.4 per cent in the recurrent budget proposals which he attributed to the establishment of Counter Terrorism Analysis and Fusion Agency, increased personnel at Botswana Red Cross, Vision Council to cater for Vision 2036 structure, DPSM increase of basic salaries, National Strategy Office increase in travel votes, DCEC refurbishment of buildings and rentals as well as DISS increase of travel votes, office rentals, furniture and equipment.

In addition, he said, no funding had been allocated for additional manpower in the 2020/2021 financial year due to unfavourable economic outlook.

However, he said a total of 1 890 positions valued at over P298 million have been created in the public service through rationalisation of existing vacancies.

Vacancies, he said were intended to facilitate implementation of Acts that were recently passed by Parliament where a number of organisations had been established which included the Counter Terrorism Analysis and Fusion Agency, Information and Data Protection Commission and the Ethics and Integrity Directorate, which he said would be fully functional in the next financial year.

On the development budget proposal, the minister reported a reduction of 21.2 per cent from the current financial year which was over P739 million.

He indicated that from the development budget, an amount of over P34 million would be used for consultancies, P7.2m to facilitate implementation of activities under Cluster Development initiative, Monitoring and Evaluation Policy at over P7m while over P5m would be used for development of the Assessment Centre.

Further, he said the ministry required P5m to engage consultants to develop a privatisation strategy for Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) while the balance would cover other consultancies under various departments.

Meanwhile, Minister Morwaeng indicated that strengthening of DIS capabilities required over P150 million, while strengthening DCEC capabilities required over P14m for its development projects.

The minister further indicated that the Auditor General development required P1m. 

On the other hand, he said computerisation of the ministry required P5m for the development of e-cabinet system, while the Department of Broadcasting Services required P85.4m for various broadcasting activities.

He also requested over P22m for the ministry’s infrastructure development to cover various projects like refurbishment of office accommodation at district commissioner’s offices, refurbishment of State House II.

The minister further indicated that a total budget of P5.6m would be allocated to the Botswana Public Service College, P120m to Social Protection and Preparedness while National Aids and Health Promotion Agency required P139.9m. Ends