Gender ministry returns N$178m to treasury over five years

The gender ministry has returned nearly N$180 million to treasury over five financial years because of clerical and administrative errors.

The money, which was meant to cater for social grants and the construction of children’s homes, was returned due to invoice errors, says auditor general Junias Kandjeke in his latest report.

Between 2016 and 2021, the ministry returned N$178,2 million, the reports says.

The highest amount the ministry returned was N$87,5 million in 2016/17, followed by N$30,8 million in 2017/18.

For the two financial years that followed, money the ministry returned did not exceed N$12,9 million. However, in the latest report, it more than doubled to over N$30 million.

Kandjeke’s report, which was tabled in the National Assembly yesterday, explains how the ministry returned N$35,3 million to the treasury.

Over N$12 million of this money was meant for old age, foster parent and disability grants along with funeral benefits.

The ministry also returned over N$9 million set aside for the construction, renovation and maintenance of the Keetmanshoop Community Empowerment Centre, home of safety and shelters, Namibia Children’s Home, after-school centre, farm Kaukarus, as well as regional and constituency offices.

Activists have raised concern over the lack of safe homes for children and victims of gender-based violence, which are on the rise.

The Keetmanshoop centre did not take off during that financial year because the procurement process was not completed.
“As the responses from the bidders were not received timely and only the professional fees to the consultants for documentation were paid, thus an under expenditure of N$ 4,6 million,” the report reads.

Regional councils did not finish work on gender-based violence protection shelters at Opuwo, Eenhana and Rundu, because the bill of quantities was not concluded.

Progress at Farm Kaukurus stalled and money was returned, because purchase orders were not made and procurement processes were not completed.

Farm Kaukurus is set to become the new haven for children living and working on the streets.

“The under -expenditure was due to ongoing renovations at the farm for purchase orders to the amount of N$678 656,39 that was not paid before the end of the financial year, since the work was not complete.

“In addition, a consultant to do a feasibility study at the farm could not be appointed due to procurement procedures that could not be completed, resulting in a total under expenditure of N$ 2 million,” the report reads.

This ministry is a repeat offender in returning money to the treasury. In previous financial years, it returned over N$30 million due to incorrectly filed invoices.

Kandjeke’s audit report gave the ministry an unqualified opinion for the 2021/2022 financial year, stating that the auditors conclude that their financial statements present fairly its affairs in all material aspects.

They also returned N$9 million meant for policy planning and research, while N$6 million was remitted from the administration and general services.

“The under-expenditure on other services and expenses was due to an invoice for the annual planning and team building held in March 2022 which was submitted for payment after the payment cut-off date for the financial year ending 31 March 2022,” the report states.