DIS requests further P50m
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday December 14, 2018 13:17
The Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration (MoPAGPA) says in the explanatory notes for supplementary estimates that the funds would be used to strengthen capabilities of the Peter Magosi-led DIS. “Specifically, the funds will be used for the development of the necessary infrastructure, which includes acquisition of the requisite hardware and software. The work will cover the design, development and integration of security systems to enhance cyber security on government Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure as well as other security upgrades,” states a supplementary budget which is yet to be discussed this week in Parliament.
“The initiative will not require additional National Development Plan 11 Total Estimated Cost (TEC) as it will be accommodated within the available TEC balance. The required annual provision of P50, 000, 000 will be wholly offset by P10, 300, 000. The MoPAGPA infrastructure project, specifically the refurbishment of Office of the President (OP) facility (Orapa House) sub project will not fully utilise the allocated budget due to late procurement processes.”
Parliament is expected to debate the supplementary budget this week. The strengthening of DIS capabilities approved plan amount to P1, 668, 500, 000 and its approved estimate is P146, 614, 000.
Still on supplementary budget, the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs has requested an additional funding of P19, 633, 320 to cater for overtime allowances for staff. According to the papers, the overtime is for 34 parts of entry around the country which its hours of operation differ from port to port with the longest hours being from six am to 12 midnight, which is 18 hours.
“Immigration officials accumulate overtime and it is a challenge to grant them off mainly due to manpower constraints. For financial year 2018/2019, a decision was taken to utilise the overtime budget for Ministries to create new positions, leaving the department with committed overtime of only P3, 137, 580. These funds are exhausted while staff continues to accumulate overtime, hence the request to augment the account,” it says.