Is PAC Qualified For NPF Money Scandal?

540,Monitor Editor,, | Wednesday May 16, 2018 00:00

PAC studies public audits, permanent secretaries or other officials the committee may deem have to answer questions, and issue a report of their findings to the Executive. In short PAC is ‘supposed’ to be an accountability mechanism by government, but the facts on the ground suggest that the committee is currently being used to calm the masses down on their demands to have answers regarding the P250m National Petroleum Fund (NPF) scandal.

The P250m scandal is major, and many Batswana, in a calm and very peaceful manner, are awaiting answers with baited breath, and it needs to be given the proper attention that it deserves.

PAC currently does not have real powers, apart from the report, which is submitted to the Executive for consideration. The reports made by PAC, like many other reports, end up in an office somewhere gathering dust.

Firstly, the public could maybe place their hopes in the PAC process for answers, if PAC had the powers to recommend punishment that is enforceable in the courts of law.

Many Batswana across the political divide, commented on videos, news items, posted by different media outlets across the country, following the Director of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DIS), Isaac Kgosi’s appearance at the PAC sitting on Wednesday.

Mr. Kgosi walked in with confidence, and he did not exhibit any nervousness. Some of those who decided to voice their opinion made an observation that the DIS director did not think much of the parliamentary committee, hence his relaxed demeanor when entering and answering questions from the PAC members. A call in front of a committee, which is going to grill someone is nerve-wrecking, regardless of whether one is quality or not, but shockingly the DIS director went in there without too much of a worry, hence the question of whether PAC is the relevant body to handle the issue. The DIS director did not answer that many questions, for ‘security reasons’, and on the basis that he could not reveal information because it was ‘classified’. 

His other favourite response was conveniently that he could not answer because the matter is before the court. While we understand that there are issues of classified information, and national security, it is also very important for this peaceful nation to be given honest answers on where P250m-worth of NPF went.