22 May 2025

Accounting officers have been urged to timely act when directed by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on challenges relating to among others misappropriation of funds and other issues relating to utilisation of government funds.

The chairperson of the PAC, Mr Taolo Lucas said it was unfortunate and worrisome that some cases from as far as 2014 were still pending in 2025, with little progress to put issues to finality. He made the remarks on Tuesday, when accounting officer for the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs appeared before the PAC.

He said it was clear that accounting officers hardily made follow-ups to timely resolve issues emanating from their reports. Mr Lucas said PAC was concerned that lack of appropriate action by accounting officers would compromise service delivery and prudent expenditure on public funds. “Reports must not only be prepared for PAC. We will closely be monitoring cases that emanate from your reports. This is not just a routine exercise, it must produce tangible results,” he said.

The PAC was concerned by a case where a revenue collector was recorded in the Auditor General reported to have misappropriated public funds exceeding P600 000. It was reported that efforts to recover the said funds from the officer only managed close to P200 000 and more than P400 000 was yet to be recovered.

Permanent Secretary, Mr Jimmy Opelo acknowledged that efforts were made to collate evidence in relation to cases where government funds were misappropriated. He concurred that some of the cases were not well investigated resulting in difficulties to recover embezzled funds and finalising cases.

Mr Opelo also concurred with the committee that there was delay in taking action and devising means to recover government funds from those found to have squandered public funds.

He said the ministry experienced a lot of evolution under rationalisation aimed at improving service delivery. He said that continuous review of the legislation governing activities of the ministry was also necessary to align it with emerging changes.

Following amendment of the Citizenship Act in 2024, Mr Opelo said all changes to the Act were effected. However, he said amendment of the Act does not replace of nullify other pieces of legislation such as policies that were serving purpose.

He said children born in a diaspora to Batswana parents, or one of the parents being a Motswana, or those born in Botswana with one of the parents being a foreigner and to people who renounced their citizenship in order to get that of Botswana, or those who renounced Botswana citizenship in favour of other countries, were eligible to receive dual citizenship.

Mr Opelo said that children abandoned and raised at care centres with their nationality unknown, were also eligible to get Botswana citizenship. He said Batswana in diaspora were accordingly assisted by immigration attaches at Botswana consulates across the country whenever encountering challenges; to either renew passports, National Identity card (Omang) and residence permits.

On issuance of permanent residence to foreigners, Mr Opelo said issuance of such citizenship was done after a thorough assessment and investigation of the applicant to establish authenticity. He said it was important to get people of repute character, whose proposed investment would assist build the economy of the country and not connected to criminal activities.

Mr Opelo said giving citizenship to foreigners was not meant to increase the population of the country but rather to enhance skills basket as well as assist diversify and grow the economy.

He said even though the ministry was doing all to serve the public, it was unfortunate that there were cases where customers were fraudulent by presenting false documents. “We want honesty. At times we delay assisting customers due to lack of evidence or lack of authenticity on what they have provided,” he said. He conceded that untruthful customers must not stand in the way of those with valid cases. ENDS