Almost every week we get various media reports of government projects which have gone over budget. In every instance the cost overrun amounts to almost 50 percent of the original budget. This is absurd. Around September last year there were media reports alleging that P200 million was paid in the construction of Kang-Hukuntsi road under questionable circumstances. Just under two weeks ago it was also reported in a local publication that tax-payers may loose P200 million in the Sir Seretse Khama Airport project. These are examples of a trend which is now becoming a custom, an unnecessary cost the tax-payer incurs every time government projects are implemented. From these two examples it is evident that the magnitude of cost overruns in government construction projects is significant and corrective action is long overdue.
The BDP government has been shouting the loudest about the need for prudence in the light of the global economic recession. The call for prudence by the government is a definite rhetorical commitment because there is no clear sign of government dedication to arresting cost overruns. While we appreciate the impact of the just ended economic recession, we find it very difficult to sympathise with the ruling party on budgetary constraints because the BDP government has not taken any concrete step in addressing wasteful expenditure which has significant contribution to erosion of government revenue. How does a government justify perpetual cost overruns in public projects at the expense of other competing national demands.
