GCC finance committee causes cllrs upset

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Tuesday February 20, 2024 06:00

 

They are raising concerns about the fairness of the distribution and questioning whether proper procedures were followed in the decision-making process. A source has revealed that councillors are seeking information on when the tender for the solar lights was issued and the specific details of how the process was conducted.

"They also want to know if the full council will be briefed on the details of the decision. We want fairness in the distribution of solar light installation. The wards for most members who sit on that committee are benefiting. P11 million could not be used to benefit certain wards at the expense of others.

That money is from Community Coordinated Projects (CCP)," the source said. One of the councilors, Mankie Sekete of Bophirima ward, expressed her discontent. "I indeed I am one of the councillors who informed others in our WhatsApp group after I got a tip-off. I am not happy at all because my ward is dark. It does not have lights at all.

The few we have are not effective, and the full council agreed that it will be fixed. "Now, the finance committee decided to install those lights in some of their wards. What is more painful is that the town clerk and his deputy were not there when that happened," she said. She mentioned that Gaborone North never requested lights, but shockingly, the Mayor’s ward has been allocated more lights. Sekete emphasised the need for the issue to be brought before the full council to ensure a proper decision and fair distribution of street light installation.

Some councillors agreed with Sekete on the matter, as per an audio leak to The Monitor. When contacted for comment, GCC mayor, Austin Abraham, responded: "Ba setse ba itesitse ko dipampiri! I am not a finance committee chairperson." However, the finance committee chairperson, Sejoe Kaisara, defended the decision, saying they have not done anything wrong since they followed the terms and references of the finance committee. "We took this decision on February 14 and I am shocked that it is all over. For us, it is for the resolution to be implemented.

I know councillors are against our decision, it is the mayor who can call a full council to overturn the decision we made.

This is not a political decision; we were looking at the needs of those wards. Gaborone North does not have street lights at all," Kaisara said. He explained that P9 million would be used for the installation of solar street lights and P2 million for maintenance, even for those whose cables were long stolen. He clarified to The Monitor that 17 wards would benefit from the P9 million, not 14 wards as some councillors claimed. Meanwhile, The Monitor has learnt that the GCC mayor has called a consultative meeting scheduled for Tuesday.