08 Jun 2021

The Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC), a statutory body of the National Assembly that examines the use of public funds by government ministries, departments and state corporations reconvened on Monday.  

The committee which is led by Selebi Phikwe West Member of Parliament Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse will convene until July 5.

Accompanied by other committee members during a media briefing at the Parliamentary Annex in Gaborone on Monday, Mr Keoraopetse said they were convening as mandated to do so at the end of each financial year by the Standing Orders of Parliament.

He said among the tasks before them, the PAC would examine seven Value for Money reports from government ministries, among them those of Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism as well as Youth Empowerment, Sports and Culture. 

Other PAC members include the Deputy Speaker, Mochudi East MP Mr Mabuse Pule, Tonota legislator, Mr Pono Moatlhodi, Bobonong MP, Mr Taolo Lucas and Francistown South representative, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi.

Other areas to be scrutinised he said included the activities of the Development and Budget Division in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and the implementation of services by other government ministries. 

This also includes the Youth Development Fund (YDF), regulation of municipal solid waste and the provision of maternal health services. 

Where Performance audits have already been undertaken and reports already laid before the National Assembly, the accounting officers would be required to report progress made on the report findings and recommendations.

Mr Keorapetse said owing to COVID-19 protocols, the PAC had decided to limit the numbers of witnesses in the committee room, with accounting officers accompanied by only two other officers. 

He said the media would not be allowed into the sessions but could access the live stream to be availed on the Parliament Facebook page. 

He said other parliamentary committees were meeting virtually but owing to the investigative nature of their mandate, the PAC would need to have physical meetings with accounting officers presenting their reports.

Once examinations were complete, Mr Keorapetse said his committee would produce reports to the National Assembly detailing their findings and recommendations for consideration and remedial action. 

Although identifying a general improvement in the collecting and safeguarding of public resources, the committee said expressed concern about the lack of compliance to submission guidelines by accounting officers, lack of reconciliation of books and accounts by ministries and late referral of cases to the Attorney General. Ends