09 Aug 2020

Ghanzi District Council has approved a recurrent budget of over P285 million for the  2021/2022 fiscal year.

When presenting budget estimates to the council on August 6, the finance committee chairperson, Mr Jeremiah Tibi, stated that the budget consisted of P 275 million of Revenue Support Grant (RSG) and own revenue of over P9.4 million.

Mr Tibi said  the 2021/2022 proposed RSG was an increase of 34 per cent compared to P205 million of the 2020/2021 fiscal year.

He said the proposed income estimates amount of P9.4 million were an increase of 25 per cent compared to the current financial year.

Of the proposed income estimates, he said the largest collection was expected from interest on investment at P3.4 million followed by property rates at P2.5 million and staff housing rentals at P1.5 million.

Mr Tibi noted that larger share of recurrent budget would be channeled towards personnel emoluments at a total of P 127.5 million.

He said the department with the largest share of budget was social & community development at 23 per cent followed by civil and mechanical engineering at 21 per cent, arch and building and education department both at eight per cent.

Of the proposed recurrent budget, he said, 50 per cent and 33 per cent was for Ghanzi East and Charleshill respectively and headquarters being the least at 17 per cent.

“This you will agree with me is indeed a fair and equitable share of finances given the responsibility bestowed upon each of these authorities,” Mr Tibi stated.

Regarding the 2021/2022 development budget estimates, he said they stood at P 330.3 million and the largest share allocated to primary school facilities at P149 million and Ipelegeng programme at P36 million

He explained that primary school facilities were allocated larger share to comply with the COVID-19 protocols through construction of new schools and classroom blocks.

Mr Tibi indicated that ‘budget estimates outlook has taken into consideration current and anticipated repercussions of COVID 19 and response measures thereof.’

He assured councillios that the district council’s financial management plan would be presented at a later date and it would entail cost saving measures, income generations streams revenue collection strategies and council budget pitso.

Mr Tibi underscored council priority areas as provision of social safety nets, outsourcing of services, maintenance of road maintenance of ground and building and primary school facilities.

Giving an overview of proposed development projects, acting principal economist, Mr Kagiso Tsele, stated that they had made provision for construction of one primary school in Ghanzi and one at Charleshill.

Mr Tsele said they would construct additional classrooms and teachers houses coupled with maintaining the available facilities.

He said provision for special units, provision of day care centers and construction of fire station, maintaining of tribal administration offices and provision of sanitation and waste management infrastructure were some of the items catered for.

When reacting to recurrent budget estimates, councillor for New Xade, Mr Jumanta Gakelebone, challenged the council to empower communities to reduce burden on the budget.

Ghanzi District Council vice chairperson, Mr Ezekiel Kajuu, said councillors were duty bound to scrutinise how the budget was spent and should ensure that it benefitted the communities and help them to be independent or graduate from poverty. ENDS