Millions for motorcade, aircraft
Jo-Maré Duddy – Nearly N$27.7 million was spent on ceremonial services and the motorcade of the Office of Pres Hage Geingob in the 2016/17 financial year.
The bulk of this, nearly N$16.2 million or just below 60% of the total amount, was for Pres Hage Geingob’s private office, according to the latest annual report of the Office of the President tabled in the National Assembly recently.
Included in the budget spent was nearly N$7.2 million for aircraft and/or helicopter rental.
According to the report, the division administered 228 government-owned vehicles on behalf of the ministry of works and transport during the period under review. The Office of the President does not have its own fleet management system. The 192 vehicles included sedans, 4x4s, SUVs and light vans and minibuses. A total of 36 motorbikes were also in the fleet.
The Office used fuel to the tune of about N$2.5 million during the 2016/17 year. Some N$11.3 million was for fixed tariff claims, while nearly N$6.7 million was spent on pool vehicles.
Next to Geingob’s office, the departments of founding president Sam Nujoma and former president Hifikepunye Pohamba slurped up the biggest chunk of the budget. Their departments spent more than N$5.2 million on transport during the year.
Administration’s tab came to about N$4.1 million, while the transport costs of the office of former vice-president Nickey Iyambo amounted to some N$1 million. The division for marginalised communities and disability affairs had a bill of approximately N$1.1 million.
The Office’s division for household services provided neither a budget break-down nor a budget total for its activities in the report. Besides catering for Jacob Zuma, then president of South Africa, and then Indian president Pranab Mukherjee, the report also mentions a “special lunch for former school mates at the presidential residence”.
During the year under review, the Office of the President employed 322 people.
The report identifies the “continuous high number of leave of absence from staff members” as one of the challenges of the human resources department. As part of its future initiatives and programmes, the department planned to “conduct an assessment regarding leave of absence of staff members to determine the root causes of these problems”.
The bulk of this, nearly N$16.2 million or just below 60% of the total amount, was for Pres Hage Geingob’s private office, according to the latest annual report of the Office of the President tabled in the National Assembly recently.
Included in the budget spent was nearly N$7.2 million for aircraft and/or helicopter rental.
According to the report, the division administered 228 government-owned vehicles on behalf of the ministry of works and transport during the period under review. The Office of the President does not have its own fleet management system. The 192 vehicles included sedans, 4x4s, SUVs and light vans and minibuses. A total of 36 motorbikes were also in the fleet.
The Office used fuel to the tune of about N$2.5 million during the 2016/17 year. Some N$11.3 million was for fixed tariff claims, while nearly N$6.7 million was spent on pool vehicles.
Next to Geingob’s office, the departments of founding president Sam Nujoma and former president Hifikepunye Pohamba slurped up the biggest chunk of the budget. Their departments spent more than N$5.2 million on transport during the year.
Administration’s tab came to about N$4.1 million, while the transport costs of the office of former vice-president Nickey Iyambo amounted to some N$1 million. The division for marginalised communities and disability affairs had a bill of approximately N$1.1 million.
The Office’s division for household services provided neither a budget break-down nor a budget total for its activities in the report. Besides catering for Jacob Zuma, then president of South Africa, and then Indian president Pranab Mukherjee, the report also mentions a “special lunch for former school mates at the presidential residence”.
During the year under review, the Office of the President employed 322 people.
The report identifies the “continuous high number of leave of absence from staff members” as one of the challenges of the human resources department. As part of its future initiatives and programmes, the department planned to “conduct an assessment regarding leave of absence of staff members to determine the root causes of these problems”.
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