27 Jun 2022

Parliamentary oversight is crucial as it holds the executive accountable for policy implementation, Palapye MP, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi has said.

He was addressing heads of department on Thursday as the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Finance, Trade and Economic Development rolled out the community scorecard.

Mr Ramogapi said Botswana’s Vision 2036 document recognised the need to protect good governance, accountability and transparency as they were prerequisite to progressive governance and building trust between the public, public institutions, private sector and civil society.

It was for that reason that Parliament had oversight committees such as the one he was chairing, providing checks and balances, and affirming the house as guardian of the people’s interest.

Explaining the purpose of the scorecard, Mr Ramogapi said it was a monitoring and evaluation tool for accountability and improved service delivery.

It ensured consensus building in the development process by identifying service delivery successes, challenges and developing action plans, led by both service providers and the community, he said. In that way it placed the community at the forefront of service quality assessment.

Thus, the scorecard ensured ownership and responsibility for service delivery rested with both government and the public, and allowed communities and implementing departments to remain in touch with progress made throughout the programme delivery cycle so as to respond timely to impediments. BOPA