Agriculture rapped for not spending

THE Ministry of Agriculture was rebuked by a Parliamentary standing committee for not spending N$49,3 million of its 2005-06 budget.

The figure represents seven per cent of the ministry’s total budget. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts yesterday queried the under-expenditure as those funds were returned to the treasury.However, ministry officials explained that many vacancies could not be filled in most departments, although remuneration for the posts was budgeted.Some overtime claimed for travelling also came under scrutiny.The new Permanent Secretary Andrew Ndishishi explained that often agricultural extension officers had to work on weekends if water supply was interrupted or travel on weekends to be at a different points of duty for the start of the week.Committee Chairperson Johan de Waal wanted to know why the Ministry only spent N$1 million to buy new vehicles, when the replacement reserve fund showed a positive balance of N$13,4 million.Ndishishi, who was assisted by his senior officials, explained that most vehicles of the ministerial fleet of some 300 were over 30 years old and required a lot of funds for maintenance and repair.”That is where the money goes, but during this financial year we can hopefully buy 100 new vehicles and phase out some of the old ones.”De Waal advised the ministry to separate costs for maintenance from the replacement reserve fund.He praised the Ministry for having its accounts at commercial banks in order and properly balanced.”This is usually a problem at many other ministries, but your accounts are really well kept,” De Waal praised, much to the relief of the ministry’s delegation.The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts yesterday queried the under-expenditure as those funds were returned to the treasury.However, ministry officials explained that many vacancies could not be filled in most departments, although remuneration for the posts was budgeted.Some overtime claimed for travelling also came under scrutiny.The new Permanent Secretary Andrew Ndishishi explained that often agricultural extension officers had to work on weekends if water supply was interrupted or travel on weekends to be at a different points of duty for the start of the week.Committee Chairperson Johan de Waal wanted to know why the Ministry only spent N$1 million to buy new vehicles, when the replacement reserve fund showed a positive balance of N$13,4 million.Ndishishi, who was assisted by his senior officials, explained that most vehicles of the ministerial fleet of some 300 were over 30 years old and required a lot of funds for maintenance and repair.”That is where the money goes, but during this financial year we can hopefully buy 100 new vehicles and phase out some of the old ones.”De Waal advised the ministry to separate costs for maintenance from the replacement reserve fund.He praised the Ministry for having its accounts at commercial banks in order and properly balanced.”This is usually a problem at many other ministries, but your accounts are really well kept,” De Waal praised, much to the relief of the ministry’s delegation.