Namibia ‘could do better’ on budget transparency

Namibia ‘could do better’ on budget transparency

NAMIBIA has performed moderately well, says a survey which rates countries on how open their budget books are to their citizens.

Namibia scored 51 per cent on the inaugural Open Budget Index 2006 – the research revealed that Namibia provides its citizens with ‘some’ information on the national Budget and financial activities. Fifty-nine countries from across the globe were rated, from those providing scant or no information (0 to 20 per cent), providing minimal information (21 to 40 per cent), providing some information (41 to 60 per cent), providing significant information (61 to 80 per cent) and providing extensive information (81 to 100 per cent).The report recommended that there was room for improvement in how Namibia disseminated such important information to the nation.”Accurate, timely and comprehensive information during each stage of the budget cycle is required to ensure accountability of government to citizens.Timely access to such information enables citizens to participate in and understand, policy decisions that have profound impacts on their daily lives,” says the report.South Africa was the only country on the continent to score well on the survey, making it to the top category which also includes France, the United States, United Kingdom, Slovenia and New Zealand.Botswana was rated as one of the governments giving significant information on its national budget.In the same category as Namibia were Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania.Algeria, Cameroon, Uganda, and Zambia were in the ‘minimal’ category while Angola, Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco, Chad and Burkina Faso scored lowest, ending up among those that do not provide any information.The brainchild of civil society organisations, the budget transparency country rankings were determined by averaging responses to the Open Budget Questionnaire.In Namibia, research was undertaken by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).The survey focused on information contained in seven key budget documents – the pre-budget statement, executive’s budget proposal, citizen’s budget, in-year reports, mid-year review, year-end report and auditor’s report.The survey showed that Namibia’s budget proposal was one of the most important documents released annually and that the Ministry of Finance provided 68 per cent of the information necessary to give the public an idea of Government’s financial activities.It also revealed that Government provided some information in its in-year report on Government spending, revenue collection and borrowing.It was noted that the country also had a ‘comprehensive mid-year review which strengthens public accountability in the country’.There were, however, problems with the year-end and audit reports, which are not released timeously, and it is said no information is given on whether the audit report’s recommendations are implemented.”Citizens require both access to information and opportunities during the consideration of the budget to use that information to ensure their informed participation in budget debates.”Namibia’s score on the Open Budget Index suggest that the public’s access to information could be improved.”The IPPR also recommended that ways for citizens to participate in the budget process could be increased.The research initiative is carried out to offer an independent, non-governmental view of the state of budget transparency in the countries surveyed.Fifty-nine countries from across the globe were rated, from those providing scant or no information (0 to 20 per cent), providing minimal information (21 to 40 per cent), providing some information (41 to 60 per cent), providing significant information (61 to 80 per cent) and providing extensive information (81 to 100 per cent).The report recommended that there was room for improvement in how Namibia disseminated such important information to the nation.”Accurate, timely and comprehensive information during each stage of the budget cycle is required to ensure accountability of government to citizens.Timely access to such information enables citizens to participate in and understand, policy decisions that have profound impacts on their daily lives,” says the report.South Africa was the only country on the continent to score well on the survey, making it to the top category which also includes France, the United States, United Kingdom, Slovenia and New Zealand.Botswana was rated as one of the governments giving significant information on its national budget.In the same category as Namibia were Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania.Algeria, Cameroon, Uganda, and Zambia were in the ‘minimal’ category while Angola, Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco, Chad and Burkina Faso scored lowest, ending up among those that do not provide any information.The brainchild of civil society organisations, the budget transparency country rankings were determined by averaging responses to the Open Budget Questionnaire.In Namibia, research was undertaken by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).The survey focused on information contained in seven key budget documents – the pre-budget statement, executive’s budget proposal, citizen’s budget, in-year reports, mid-year review, year-end report and auditor’s report.The survey showed that Namibia’s budget proposal was one of the most important documents released annually and that the Ministry of Finance provided 68 per cent of the information necessary to give the public an idea of Government’s financial activities. It also revealed that Government provided some information in its in-year report on Government spending, revenue collection and borrowing.It was noted that the country also had a ‘comprehensive mid-year review which strengthens public accountability in the country’.There were, however, problems with the year-end and audit reports, which are not released timeously, and it is said no information is given on whether the audit report’s recommendations are implemented.”Citizens require both access to information and opportunities during the consideration of the budget to use that information to ensure their informed participation in budget debates.”Namibia’s score on the Open Budget Index suggest that the public’s access to information could be improved.”The IPPR also recommended that ways for citizens to participate in the budget process could be increased.The research initiative is carried out to offer an independent, non-governmental view of the state of budget transparency in the countries surveyed.

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