02 Feb 2021

Government has budgeted total revenues and grants at P64.58 billion against an expenditure of P70.61 billion for the 2021/22 financial year. 

Presenting the budget proposals in Parliament February 1, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Dr Thapelo Matsheka proposed P50.66 billion for recurrent and P14.75 billion as development budget.  

Recurrent expenditure, used to cover operational costs including public officer’s salaries, has declined by P714.71 million over the current year’s approved budget.

In keeping with tradition, the Ministry of Basic Education has continued to receive the lion’s share of the recurrent budget at P9.52 billion.

Minister Matsheka said the budget had been increased to cater for 1 751 extra teachers needed to cater for additional classrooms required due to COVID-19 protocols.

The Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security is to receive 16.6 per cent of the total recurrent budget, or P8.39 billion which is a decline of P172.81 million over the 2020/21 budget.

Dr Matsheka said the budget would go towards the Botswana Defence Force, Botswana Police Service as well as Prisons and Rehabilitation Services.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is to receive P7.90 billion which is an increase of P165.32 million over the 2020/21 approved budget.

Dr Matsheka said additional funding had been included to further support government’s response and interventions to contain the pandemic and mitigate the risks of new infections, spread or resurgence of the disease.

It comprised personal protective equipment for public health personnel and other frontline workers, medicines for the fight against the pandemic, quarantine costs and acquisition of vaccines in line with the agreement with the World Health Organisation (WHO), he said.

Other funds are to cater for the provision of drugs, dressings and vaccines, including anti-retroviral therapy programme and laboratory supplies as well as Botswana Public Officers Medical Aid Scheme service charges and maintenance of health facilities.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development is to receive P7.14 billion, P12.34 million lower than the budget for the current financial year.

Dr Matsheka said the main cost was the Revenue Support Grant allocated to district and urban councils, which accounted for 57.6 per cent of the ministry’s total budget.  

The budget also covers COVID-19 preventive measures in primary schools.

Dr Matsheka said the Old Age Pension Scheme had registered growth arising from the increased number of beneficiaries by 11.2 per cent, from 124 078 to 137 981 projected for 2021/22.

The minister has called upon local authorities to maximize revenue collection efforts instead of relying on the central government.

Dr Matsheka said the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology has been allocated P4.6 billion to cover amongst others, tertiary student’s sponsorship programme and staff and operational costs of tertiary institutions and parastatals under the ministry.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications’ budget of P1.82 billion is to be used for fuel and lubricants, road maintenance, computer systems consumables and maintenance, postal charges and agency fees, office equipment.

Part of the funds would be used to cover Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) operational costs.

The Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration has been allocated P1.58 billion to help the ministry in its quest to safeguard and promote good governance as well as sustainable socio-economic growth and development.

Dr Matsheka said the budget covered the envisaged constitutional review exercise and also for the Directorate on Intelligence and Security Services (DIS).

Other costs are subscription for access to the television satellite and maintenance of transmitter contracts as well as subventions to the Red Cross, 2036 Vision Council and Public Enterprises Evaluation and Privatization Agency (PEEPA).

As for the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security, it will receive P1.39 billion to support the agricultural sector in pursuit of improved domestic food production to achieve a higher degree of self-sufficiency.

The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry has been allocated P975.03 million and 76.8 per cent of this amount will be transferred to the parastatals under the ministry, including Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) in implementation of the revised guidelines.

Dr Matsheka has proposed P966.92 million to fund the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development to cover operational costs as well as subventions to parastatals under the ministry.

The Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services will receive P963.95 million, with 57.8 per cent of the total amount transferred to land boards across the country.

Minister Matsheka said the remaining P5.61 billion would be shared among the rest of the ministries and extra-ministerial departments.ends