Agriculture tightens its belt

The agriculture ministry is on a drive to cut costs. This follows the tabling of the mid-term budget review delivered in the National Assembly at the beginning of the month. The ministry was allocated N$1.5 billion in its operational budget for the remainder of the financial year. This is an upward revision of N$200 million from the N$1.3 billion originally allocated in March.Announcing a series of savings measures to see the ministry through the remainder of the financial year, its permanent secretary, Percy Misika, said invoices would be scrutinised to ensure the ministry got value for money from goods and services. There were discrepancies in invoices issued for work performed on the ministry's vehicles which was actually not done, and several former employees were still receiving cellphone benefits, Misika said. “One of the areas we are looking at is the cost of utilities as these costs are astronomical. The director of internal auditing will scrutinise all our invoices to ensure that we get value for money,” said Misika. The use of ministerial vehicles was also an area of concern, Misika said. “Another committee will be looking at the utilisation of vehicles. This is a pertinent area of concern. Vehicles are standing but invoices are coming in for work done on vehicles. Invoices are being paid without any work being done on the said vehicles,” said Misika. The ministry will also try and consolidate the use of photocopy machines and scanners, he said. “The other issue is that of information communication technology. Let us have a network system for our IT. We want to be able to use a single photocopy machine for a cluster of offices to reduce costs and misuse,” he said. Misika said it was discovered that the agriculture ministry was still paying the cellphone bills of former employees who had retired, resigned or had been transferred to other ministries. He also announced that cellphone allowances would be cut from N$999 to N$400 a month. That would save about N$100 000 a month. The deputy permanent secretary for planning, Sophia Kasheeta, said the ministry would use empty warehouses owned by the ministry of works in an effort to cut further costs. “The ministry is looking at where we can share offices, especially buildings that are not being optimised. The ministry of works has many warehouses that are not optimally used,” said Kasheeta. According to her, money was being wasted by paying rent. “Why should the ministry pay landlords when the ministry of works has vacant land?” It is not clear at this stage how much the ministry will save as a result of its internal cost-cutting measures. Despite the cutbacks, Misika said the ministry would be required to recruit 300 'struggle kids' and the expense had not been budgeted for.There was also a pay increase for service technicians, backdated to 2013, Misika said.OGONE TLHAGE

Agriculture tightens its belt

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-18

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Agriculture tightens its belt

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-18

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