Chandapiwa Baputaki
23 February 2007
Parliament approved a requested sum of P2,433,140,220 for the recurrent budget for the Ministry of State President this week after a presentation made by the minister.
Presenting the budget for his ministry, Phandu Skelemani stated that the recurrent budget represent an increase of 14 percent over the 2006/07 estimates. He noted that a greater share of the amount is allocated to the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) and the Botswana Police Service, constituting 66 percent and 26 percent respectively.
He explained that the remaining eight percent is distributed among other departments of the ministry such as State House with P4,985,280, an increase of 4.4 percent from the 2006/07 estimates.
Here the salaries and allowances have been estimated to constitute 36 percent of the budget, while the remaining 64 percent will be spent on "other charges". Skelemani allocated the Office of the President P 75,529,470 - representing an increase of 19 percent - to cater for salary increases, allowances, upgradings and new posts, while the remaining will be spent on other charges that include internal travel, Vision 2016, NEPAD, disaster relief, Sir Seretse Khama Fund and the upkeep of refugees.
Skelemani requested an increase of P500,000 to cover the President's internal trips to kgotla meetings.
He stated that the Vice President would also continue to monitor the implementation of government projects across the country. He noted that the provision is also intended to cater for the joint defense and security commissions. The Department of Public Service Management was allocated P83,583,780 representing an increase of P16,360, 520 or 24 percent.
The minister explained that the increase is mainly due to the creation of 78 graduate posts and the subvention allocated to the Institute of Development Management (IDM) to cater for its restructuring and transformation into a viable and self-sustaining body.
Skelemani said that the total public service establishment recommended 93,303 posts for the financial year 2007/08 excluding local authority and BDF. "This is an increase of 2,423 posts over the 2006/07 establishment of 90,880 posts," he said. A total amount of P641,337,480 was requested for the Botswana Police Service - exceeding the 2006/07 provisions by P43,344,550 - an increase he attributed to annual salary increments, expansion, upgrading of certain posts and the monthly wages of an additional 60 special constables for border villages patrols.
Under the Office of the Former President a total provision of P2,089,720 was allocated "in order for the government to discharge its obligation in terms of the Provisions of the Presidents Pensions and Retirement Benefits Act".
The BDF got an increase of P217,762,400 tallying their amount to P1,594,133,400 for the financial year 2007/08 estimates. The minister explained to Parliament that 11 percent was to cater for the new posts needed for new projects, while the eight percent increment is due to the salary increase effected in April 2006, which was not included in the 2006/07 base estimates.
Skelemani allocated P172,809,330 to cater for inflation and exchange rate fluctuations, "because maintenance spares of aircrafts and specialised vehicles are procured in foreign currency".
The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime was allocated P17,531,430, while the National AIDS Coordinating Agency was allocated P13,949,660 under the recurrent budget.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2007 Mmegi/The Reporter. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
