Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Shelleygan Petersen
Published on 2024-04-13 06:00:00
The Department of Agriculture and Land Reform in Namibia has returned over N$109 million to the treasury due to unfilled vacant positions in at least 10 divisions. This decision has raised concerns, especially in a country grappling with high unemployment rates, leaving many graduates without jobs. Auditor General Junias Kandjeke highlighted that these funds could have been utilized for other projects that could benefit the country.
Kandjeke’s recent audit report on the financial affairs of the Department of Agriculture and Land Reform revealed a qualified opinion. This opinion suggests that there are material misstatements in the financial statements or inadequate evidence to confirm that specific amounts in the financial statements are not materially misstated.
The divisions within the department that returned funds include Land Reform (N$29.9 million), Administration (N$16.6 million), Veterinary Services (N$12.3 million), Research, Development and Training (N$10.7 million), Resettlement and Regional Programmes (N$4.3 million), Valuation and Estate Management (N$3.6 million), Planning, Pricing, Marketing and Coordination (N$6.2 million), Agriculture Production and Extension Services (N$5.8 million), Centralized Registration (N$1.8 million), as well as Land Survey and Land Mapping (N$6.6 million).
The largest amount returned was from the Land Reform division, which gave back N$29.9 million. This was primarily due to unfilled vacant positions and canceled purchase orders during the financial year. The Administration division returned N$16.6 million, citing similar reasons, including delays in the bidding process.
Other divisions like the Veterinary Services, Research, Development and Training, Resettlement and Regional Programmes, and Valuation and Estate Management all returned significant amounts. Reasons included canceled purchase orders, activities under the development budget not being executed, and issues with membership fees and supplier deliveries.
The report also highlighted specific challenges faced by certain divisions. For instance, the Information Technology division returned N$7.5 million due to delays in procuring server and IT equipment. Agriculture Production and Extension Services returned N$5.8 million due to staff retirements and delayed tender awards for diesel suppliers.
Additionally, the Public Service Commission’s latest annual report mentioned that the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform failed to submit their personnel statistics or reports. This lack of information could hinder the effective monitoring and management of resources within the ministry.
In conclusion, the issue of unfilled vacant positions leading to significant funds being returned to the treasury raises concerns about resource management and service delivery within the Department of Agriculture and Land Reform. Efforts should be made to address these challenges and ensure that funds are used effectively to benefit the country and its citizens.
Read the original article on The Namibian
