Parliament approves over P26m for BDF troops in Mozambique
Ministry of finance requested supplementary billions for Health, Water MoH needs more vaccines, PPEs for Omicron
The outbreak of the Omicron variant which in some countries increases at double rate has forced the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development ( MFED) to approach parliament this week seeking for supplementary funding, Botswana Guardian has reliably learnt.
Reliable reports indicate that in anticipation of the rate at which the variant is likely to spread both locally and abroad, the MFED’s request for a supplementary budget for at least the Ministry of Health and Wellness ( MoHW) and that of Ministry of Land, Water and Sanitation Services ( MLWSS) as well as of Defense Justice and Security will be brought to parliament for approval Wednesday this week just in time before parliament closes on Friday.
This publication has it in good authority that the MFED hierarchy, met late last week with the Parliament Finance Committee led by Member of Parliament for Kanye North Thapelo Letsholo where they presented their case about approaching parliament to seek yet another supplementary funding for MoHW and MLWSS.
Records show that the total submissions for the two ministries of MFED and MoH is P1 532 230 448 of which a total of P587 359 180 is proposed for approval as the MoH had requested a supplementary budget amounting to P1 480 778 448. Out of this, P560 621 500 is proposed for approval to augment the provision for the procurement of the COVID- 19 booster vaccines and their transportation, oxygen concentrators and oxygen generation plants, as well as Personal Protective Equipment ( PPE).
The MFED requires a total of P26 737 680 to augment anticipated shortfall in respect of the extended SADC Security Organ in Mozambique.
The proposed supplementary budget from the Development Fund for MLWSS is P1 860 594 507, which the Ministry will use to advance various ongoing water infrastructure projects throughout the country.
The Ministry is relying on Section 119 ( 3)( a) which provides that “If in any financial year it is found that the amount appropriated by the Appropriation Act for the purposes included in any organisation of the expenditure is insufficient or that a need has arisen for the expenditure for a purpose for which no amount has been appropriated by the Appropriation Act, a Supplementary Estimates showing the sums required shall be laid before the National Assembly.
At the time of writing on Wednesday the Parliament Finance Committee had agreed with the request and was to table their findings before parliament that afternoon.
If in any financial year it is found that the amount appropriated by the Appropriation Act for the purposes included in any organisation of the expenditure is insufficient or that a need has arisen for the expenditure for a purpose for which no amount has been appropriated by the Appropriation Act, a Supplementary Estimates showing the sums required shall be laid before the National Assembly.