Ya Ndakolo defends military budget
Many commentators have sounded the alarm over the country's defence spending plans, which minister Penda Ya Ndakolo says is justified.
The defence minister, Penda Ya Ndakolo, says that there is nothing untoward about the money allocated towards his ministry, saying it was in effect presented to, and endorsed by, the National Assembly.
This was in response to a question raised by DTA leader McHenry Venaani who had asked why, despite the country's financial state, defence spending continued unabated in his opinion.
Ya Ndakolo informed Venaani about his ministry's procedures pertaining to its spending activities.
“To answer this question, one would need clarity as to what exactly the honourable member [Venaani] referred to in the ministry of defence's spending that is continuing unabated. The money that is spent on the operations of the ministry of defence is allocated through the national budget and approved by this August house,” Ya Ndakolo told Venaani.
In his response, he further informed Venaani that money channelled to his ministry was spent within limits.
“Defence spending is always done within limits of the allocated and approved budget. As a matter of clarity, the defence budget is prepared and presented before treasury in accordance with defence needs of our country and the allocation is done following the same principle.”
He also defended the secretive nature of his ministry's procurement process.
“Given the sensitivity surrounding the procurement of defence items, specific systems and mechanisms have been put in place to approve defence purchase orders. Depending on the type and magnitude of the order to be placed, Cabinet approval may be sought,” said Ya Ndakolo.
Ya Ndakolo also said that defence procurement was oftentimes a protracted activity.
“I must clarify that defence assets and materials are very expensive and not always readily available on the shelves. It must be remembered that the procurement of weapons is a process that takes many years to complete,” concluded Ya Ndakolo.
The defence budget was cut marginally this year, reducing to N$5.68 billion from N$5.95 billion in the 2016/17 financial year.
The public safety sector was allocated N$12.45 billion (including the ministry of safety and security) and N$38 billion over the medium-term expenditure framework.
The IPPR also recently questioned the defence budget which ranks 12th, globally.
“Serious questions exist around the strategy with regard to its efficiency. In essence, the government's strategy of creating jobs directly, rather than creating an environment for the business sector to create jobs, is sub-optimal,” the IPPR said in an analysis of the 2017/18 national budget in its Democracy Report for the month of May.
OGONE TLHAGE
This was in response to a question raised by DTA leader McHenry Venaani who had asked why, despite the country's financial state, defence spending continued unabated in his opinion.
Ya Ndakolo informed Venaani about his ministry's procedures pertaining to its spending activities.
“To answer this question, one would need clarity as to what exactly the honourable member [Venaani] referred to in the ministry of defence's spending that is continuing unabated. The money that is spent on the operations of the ministry of defence is allocated through the national budget and approved by this August house,” Ya Ndakolo told Venaani.
In his response, he further informed Venaani that money channelled to his ministry was spent within limits.
“Defence spending is always done within limits of the allocated and approved budget. As a matter of clarity, the defence budget is prepared and presented before treasury in accordance with defence needs of our country and the allocation is done following the same principle.”
He also defended the secretive nature of his ministry's procurement process.
“Given the sensitivity surrounding the procurement of defence items, specific systems and mechanisms have been put in place to approve defence purchase orders. Depending on the type and magnitude of the order to be placed, Cabinet approval may be sought,” said Ya Ndakolo.
Ya Ndakolo also said that defence procurement was oftentimes a protracted activity.
“I must clarify that defence assets and materials are very expensive and not always readily available on the shelves. It must be remembered that the procurement of weapons is a process that takes many years to complete,” concluded Ya Ndakolo.
The defence budget was cut marginally this year, reducing to N$5.68 billion from N$5.95 billion in the 2016/17 financial year.
The public safety sector was allocated N$12.45 billion (including the ministry of safety and security) and N$38 billion over the medium-term expenditure framework.
The IPPR also recently questioned the defence budget which ranks 12th, globally.
“Serious questions exist around the strategy with regard to its efficiency. In essence, the government's strategy of creating jobs directly, rather than creating an environment for the business sector to create jobs, is sub-optimal,” the IPPR said in an analysis of the 2017/18 national budget in its Democracy Report for the month of May.
OGONE TLHAGE
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