P120 million YDF in tatters
The Auditor General Report for the financial year ended 31st March 2019 has identified gaps in the Youth Development Fund (YDF) — which is allocated P120 million annually — that have resulted in the funding proving in-effective due to high numbers of projects collapsing.
The overall objective of the audit was to assess whether the Ministry had put measures in place to efficiently and effectively implement the Youth Development Fund (YDF) program. The audit revealed that supervision and monitoring of YDF projects was not adequately carried out. In most instances it became evident that continuous monitoring was conducted only on nearby projects, while those far from district offices were not regularly monitored, or not at all.
[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”1,2,3″ ihc_mb_template=”1″ ]“Lack of monitoring by district officers as well as reporting by beneficiaries led to beneficiaries not getting the necessary assistance on time, which eventually led to the collapse of some projects,” indicated the audit. According to the Auditor General, management responded and stated that, there was an effort to undertake the monitoring exercise although there were constraints with transport and inadequate manpower.
“To augment the shortfall, the Ministry Monitoring and Evaluation Unit undertook routine monitoring across districts. The report was shared with districts to devise intervention strategies for identified gaps,” the report said. The audit also revealed that there were instances where some YDF beneficiaries had applied as individuals, but were funded under the Youth Industry option, which is given to a group of youths, not individuals.
“The audit also revealed that those businesses which were funded in this category were all not functional. The non-adherence to YDF Guidelines by the Ministry has led to misuse of funds.’’ An audit inspection revealed that YDF projects assets were not all labelled as required by the Memorandum of Agreement.
Furthermore, the Ministry did not adequately do the verification and recording of assets after procurement. “In all the districts visited, there were no inventories of YDF projects’ assets. Due to failure to verify and record the assets bought by the Fund, the Ministry did not know the number and the value of assets bought through the Fund,” uncovered the Auditor General.
Ministry of Youth has indicated that it would explore ways of standardising labelling of projects’ assets and that benchmarking with institutions such as CEDA would be undertaken to determine the most effective labelling mode.
“It was mandatory for the Asset and the Fund Disbursement Registers to be maintained for each funded project and the Ministry was working on remedying the shortcomings identified by the audit and would extend to other districts not covered by the audit,” said the audit.
“The verification of assets, and updating of assets registers was expected to be completed by May 2019. To strengthen monitoring, the Ministry would continue to use the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit for routine monitoring and further explore the use of interns.” The audit revealed that the Ministry offices in all the districts were not able to meet the 33-day standard set time for processing of the YDF applications.
The average number of days taken to process applications ranged between 63 and 244 days, leading to backlog and under-utilisation of the allocated funds. According to the report, management stated that they would review the YDF process map, and consultations would be done to engage Programme implementers in a walk-through process to ensure that the process owners informed the turnaround time.
“They further stated that there was inadequate manpower which impacted negatively on programme delivery. Additionally, external experts’ commitments on other official engagements had negative bearing on the turnaround time. In this regard, the Ministry was exploring ways to augment the current establishment for effective and efficient programme delivery.
It was indicated by the report that some districts had backlog of beneficiaries who were not trained, contrary to the requirement that all applicants are trained before being funded to enhance their business skills.
“It was observed that the majority of the projects were poorly managed due to lack of requisite business skills by the beneficiaries, which contributed to the collapse of some businesses,” the report highlighted. In response management stated that training had taken place and that it was on-going to clear the backlog across the districts.
Annually, the Ministry was allocated P120 million with each constituency being allocated P2 million. The constituency allocation covered funding and any business support activity like training and mentorship. The YDF process map indicated training as a pre-funding activity and that meant it was a mandatory process and a priority geared towards enhancing beneficiary skills competencies, the report read.
The audit revealed that recouping of assets remained a challenge even after nine (9) years of inception of the Fund. The audit further revealed that there were no documented guidelines on the recouping and disposal of assets, despite the discretion in the Memorandum of Agreement for the Ministry to reclaim the Fund or any part thereof or take possession of the equipment bought with the financial assistance in the event the beneficiary failed to meet some stipulated requirements.
Moreover, the Ministry did not have facilities in place to keep recouped assets or mechanism for their disposal, the report indicated. The audit showed that beneficiaries did not repay the loans as agreed and this was attributed to inadequate internal arrangements for loan repayments.
“Out of the six sampled districts, Maun was leading with 41.5% in arrears of the total balance owed by beneficiaries followed by Mochudi with 37.3%, Jwaneng with 28% and Tsabong with 13.5%,” stated the report. “Non-repayment of the loans could deny more youth to benefit from the Fund and defeat Government’s efforts of empowering youth.”[/ihc-hide-content]
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Nigerians, Zimbabweans apply for Chema Chema Fund
Fronting activities, where locals are used as a front for foreign-owned businesses, have been a long-standing issue in Botswana. These activities not only undermine the government’s efforts to promote local businesses but also deprive Batswana of opportunities for economic empowerment, officials say. The Ministry of Trade and Industry has warned of heavy penalties for those involved in fronting activities especially in relation to the latest popular government initiative dubbed Chema Chema.
According to the Ministry, the Industrial Development Act of 2019 clearly outlines the consequences of engaging in fronting activities. The fines of up to P50,000 for first-time offenders and P20,000 plus a two-year jail term for repeat offenders send a strong message that the government is serious about cracking down on this illegal practice. These penalties are meant to deter individuals from participating in fronting activities and to protect the integrity of local industries.
“It is disheartening to hear reports of collaboration between foreigners and locals to exploit government initiatives such as the Chema Chema Fund. This fund, administered by CEDA and LEA, is meant to support informal traders and low-income earners in Botswana. However, when fronting activities come into play, the intended beneficiaries are sidelined, and the funds are misused for personal gain.” It has been discovered that foreign nationals predominantly of Zimbabwean and Nigerian origin use unsuspecting Batswana to attempt to access the Chema Chema Fund. It is understood that they approach these Batswana under the guise of drafting business plans for them or simply coming up with ‘bankable business ideas that qualify for Chema Chema.’
Observers say the Chema Chema Fund has the potential to uplift the lives of many Batswana who are struggling to make ends meet. They argue that it is crucial that these funds are used for their intended purpose and not siphoned off through illegal activities such as fronting. The Ministry says the warning it issued serves as a reminder to all stakeholders involved in the administration of these funds to ensure transparency and accountability in their disbursement.
One local commentator said it is important to highlight the impact of fronting activities on the local economy and the livelihoods of Batswana. He said by using locals as a front for foreign-owned businesses, opportunities for local entrepreneurs are stifled, and the economic empowerment of Batswana is hindered. The Ministry’s warning of heavy penalties is a call to action for all stakeholders to work together to eliminate fronting activities and promote a level playing field for local businesses.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s warning of heavy penalties for fronting activities is a necessary step to protect the integrity of local industries and promote economic empowerment for Batswana. “It is imperative that all stakeholders comply with regulations and work towards a transparent and accountable business environment. By upholding the law and cracking down on illegal activities, we can ensure a fair and prosperous future for all Batswana.”
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Merck Foundation and African First Ladies mark World Health Day 2024
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany marks “World Health Day” 2024 together with Africa’s First Ladies who are also Ambassadors of MerckFoundation “More Than a Mother” Campaign through their Scholarship and Capacity Building Program. Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation emphasized, “At Merck Foundation, we mark World Health Day every single day of the year over the past 12 years, by building healthcare capacity and transforming patient care across Africa, Asia and beyond.
I am proud to share that Merck Foundation has provided over 1740 scholarships to aspiring young doctors from 52 countries, in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties such as Oncology, Diabetes, Preventative Cardiovascular Medicine, Endocrinology, Sexual and Reproductive Medicine, Acute Medicine, Respiratory Medicine, Embryology & Fertility specialty, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, Psychiatry, Emergency and Resuscitation Medicine, Critical Care, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Neonatal Medicine, Advanced Surgical Practice, Pain Management, General Surgery, Clinical Microbiology and infectious diseases, Internal Medicine, Trauma & Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Neurology, Cardiology, Stroke Medicine, Care of the Older Person, Family Medicine, Pediatrics and Child Health, Obesity & Weight Management, Women’s Health, Biotechnology in ART and many more”.
As per the available data, Africa has only 34.6% of the required doctors, nurses, and midwives. It is projected that by 2030, Africa would need additional 6.1 million doctors, nurses, and midwives*. “For Example, before the start of the Merck Foundation programs in 2012; there was not a single Oncologist, Fertility or Reproductive care specialists, Diabetologist, Respiratory or ICU specialist in many countries such as The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Guinea, Burundi, Niger, Chad, Ethiopia, Namibia among others. We are certainly creating historic legacy in Africa, and also beyond. Together with our partners like Africa’s First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Gender, Education and Communication, we are impacting the lives of people in the most disadvantaged communities in Africa and beyond.”, added Senator Dr. Kelej. Merck Foundation works closely with their Ambassadors, the African First Ladies and local partners such as; Ministries of Health, Education, Information & Communication, Gender, Academia, Research Institutions, Media and Art in building healthcare capacity and addressing health, social & economic challenges in developing countries and under-served communities. “I strongly believe that training healthcare providers and building professional healthcare capacity is the right strategy to improve access to equitable and quality at health care in Africa.
Therefore, I am happy to announce the Call for Applications for 2024 Scholarships for young doctors with special focus on female doctors for our online one-year diploma and two year master degree in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties, which includes both Online Diploma programs and On-Site Fellowship and clinical training programs. The applications are invited through the Office of our Ambassadors and long-term partners, The First Ladies of Africa and Ministry of Health of each country.” shared Dr . Kelej. “Our aim is to improve the overall health and wellbeing of people by building healthcare capacity across Africa, Asia and other developing countries. We are strongly committed to transforming patientcare landscape through our scholarships program”, concluded Senator Kelej.
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Interpol fugitive escapes from Botswana
John Isaak Ndovi, a Tanzanian national embroiled in controversy and pursued under a red notice by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), has mysteriously vanished, bypassing a scheduled bail hearing at the Extension 2 Magistrate Court in Gaborone. Previously apprehended by Botswana law enforcement at the Tlokweng border post several months earlier, his escape has ignited serious concerns.
Accused of pilfering assets worth in excess of P1 million, an amount translating to roughly 30,000 Omani Riyals, Ndovi has become a figure of paramount interest, especially to the authorities in the Sultanate of Oman, nestled in the far reaches of Asia.
The unsettling news of his disappearance surfaced following his failure to present himself at the Extension 2 Magistrate Court the preceding week. Speculation abounds that Ndovi may have sought refuge in South Africa in a bid to elude capture, prompting a widespread mobilization of law enforcement agencies to ascertain his current location.
In an official communiqué, Detective Senior Assistant Police Commissioner Selebatso Mokgosi of Interpol Gaborone disclosed Ndovi’s apprehension last September at the Tlokweng border, a capture made possible through the vigilant issuance of the Interpol red notice.
At 36, Ndovi is implicated in a case of alleged home invasion in Oman. Despite the non-existence of an extradition treaty between Botswana and Oman, Nomsa Moatswi, the Director of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), emphasized that the lack of formal extradition agreements does not hinder her office’s ability to entertain extradition requests. She highlighted the adoption of international cooperation norms, advocating for collaboration through the lenses of international comity and reciprocity.
Moatswi disclosed the intensified effort by law enforcement to locate Ndovi following his no-show in court, and pointed to Botswana’s track record of extraditing two international fugitives from France and Zimbabwe in the previous year as evidence of the country’s relentless pursuit of legal integrity.
When probed about the potential implications of Ndovi’s case on Botswana’s forthcoming evaluation by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Moatswi reserved her speculations. She acknowledged the criticality of steering clear of blacklisting, suggesting that this singular case is unlikely to feature prominently in the FATF’s assessment criteria.