Kandetu's no-show irks
Secretary to the National Assembly, Lydia Kandetu said she did not show up because the media was invited to the event.
The chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Mike Kavekotora, has threatened to subpoena the secretary of the National Assembly, Lydia Kandetu should she again refuse to account to the committee.
Kavekotora told Nampa that a public hearing was called by the committee at Parliament on Tuesday where Kandetu was expected to account but did not show up.
“If she pushes us to the limit we would have no other choice but to approach the relevant authorities to compel her through the relevant procedures to account to the Committee,” Kavekotora told Nampa.
The committee wants Kandetu to account on money appropriated under the account codes of Vote 3 of the National Assembly which include security contracts, capital budget for construction, renovation and improvement of parliament.
The committee wants the secretariat to divert the money to functions of the parliamentary standing committees.
Parliamentary standing committees conduct public hearings and collect evidence in the regions for policy formulation.
They also provide a link between parliament and people, amongst other functions.
He said they need the money for things such as travel allowance, accommodation and transport.
Kandetu issued a media statement saying she did not snub the hearing as it was reported.
She said she requested the committee to conduct the hearing in the absence of the media as it is parliamentary tradition that public hearings and inquiries are based on conclusive reports.
Kandetu said she could not show up at the meeting because the media was invited.
Kavekotora admitted that the budget allocation to the parliamentary standing committees was far too low.
He added that they were reliably informed that there is money hidden by management in some of the mentioned votes and they want explanations in this regard.
Kavekotora said there is money appropriated for security contracts while in another vote named 'others' another amount referred to as security contracts, is also hidden.
He also said an amount of N$24 million has been appropriated for maintenance of the parliament.
He said the committee has other mandates such as querying for appropriated funds and not only money spent.
Kavekotora told this agency that they will not back-off until Kandetu accounts to the committee.
NAMPA
Kavekotora told Nampa that a public hearing was called by the committee at Parliament on Tuesday where Kandetu was expected to account but did not show up.
“If she pushes us to the limit we would have no other choice but to approach the relevant authorities to compel her through the relevant procedures to account to the Committee,” Kavekotora told Nampa.
The committee wants Kandetu to account on money appropriated under the account codes of Vote 3 of the National Assembly which include security contracts, capital budget for construction, renovation and improvement of parliament.
The committee wants the secretariat to divert the money to functions of the parliamentary standing committees.
Parliamentary standing committees conduct public hearings and collect evidence in the regions for policy formulation.
They also provide a link between parliament and people, amongst other functions.
He said they need the money for things such as travel allowance, accommodation and transport.
Kandetu issued a media statement saying she did not snub the hearing as it was reported.
She said she requested the committee to conduct the hearing in the absence of the media as it is parliamentary tradition that public hearings and inquiries are based on conclusive reports.
Kandetu said she could not show up at the meeting because the media was invited.
Kavekotora admitted that the budget allocation to the parliamentary standing committees was far too low.
He added that they were reliably informed that there is money hidden by management in some of the mentioned votes and they want explanations in this regard.
Kavekotora said there is money appropriated for security contracts while in another vote named 'others' another amount referred to as security contracts, is also hidden.
He also said an amount of N$24 million has been appropriated for maintenance of the parliament.
He said the committee has other mandates such as querying for appropriated funds and not only money spent.
Kavekotora told this agency that they will not back-off until Kandetu accounts to the committee.
NAMPA
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