Regional Development Trust Fund and Equity refuted a report tabled in parliament recently, which claimed that over N$60 million is missing from the fund.
The report, which was tabled by the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Regional Development and Reports, Lebbius Tobias, claimed that the fund could not account for the money that should have been used for regional development.
Tobias had recommended that the fund should be replaced with the Constituency Development Fund and that those who work for the fund had to be relieved of their positions.
Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, chairperson of the trust fund Sirkka Ausiku said the report based most of its information on seven unqualified auditors’ reports, including the 2001/02, 2006/07 and 2012/13 financial years.
The fund had N$346 973 000 received from the line ministry since its inception and N$57 300 804 earned in interests from investments.
“We approved N$377 928 145 in various projects aimed at improving service delivery such as water, sewer, electricity and roads,” said Ausiku, adding that the annually amount of N$30 million was not sufficient.
Since its inception, the fund gave N$12 081 122 for sewer upgrade at Karibib in Erongo region; N$44 022 520 was given to Hardap Region for electricity and water meters, tarring roads and sewer network upgrade.
In addition, N$38 708 923 went to Karas Region for renovations, Kavango got N$41 965 270 for sewer upgrade and N$79 753 079 was given to the Oshana Region for development, amongst others.
“It is not fair that the report did not mention anything about the impact the fund has had through funding of several communities over the years,” said Ausiku.
The fund is led by a 10-member board chaired by Ausiku, deputised by Leevi Hungamo of the National Planning Commission, with Nangula Mbako of the Office of the Prime Minister, and Erica Shafudah from the Ministry of Finance as some of the members.
Ausiku, on behalf of the members pointed out that the fund already has a division that deals with constituencies, within the regions and, therefore, to have a body that only targets constituencies will be challenging.
The report, which was tabled by the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Regional Development and Reports, Lebbius Tobias, claimed that the fund could not account for the money that should have been used for regional development.
Tobias had recommended that the fund should be replaced with the Constituency Development Fund and that those who work for the fund had to be relieved of their positions.
Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, chairperson of the trust fund Sirkka Ausiku said the report based most of its information on seven unqualified auditors’ reports, including the 2001/02, 2006/07 and 2012/13 financial years.
The fund had N$346 973 000 received from the line ministry since its inception and N$57 300 804 earned in interests from investments.
“We approved N$377 928 145 in various projects aimed at improving service delivery such as water, sewer, electricity and roads,” said Ausiku, adding that the annually amount of N$30 million was not sufficient.
Since its inception, the fund gave N$12 081 122 for sewer upgrade at Karibib in Erongo region; N$44 022 520 was given to Hardap Region for electricity and water meters, tarring roads and sewer network upgrade.
In addition, N$38 708 923 went to Karas Region for renovations, Kavango got N$41 965 270 for sewer upgrade and N$79 753 079 was given to the Oshana Region for development, amongst others.
“It is not fair that the report did not mention anything about the impact the fund has had through funding of several communities over the years,” said Ausiku.
The fund is led by a 10-member board chaired by Ausiku, deputised by Leevi Hungamo of the National Planning Commission, with Nangula Mbako of the Office of the Prime Minister, and Erica Shafudah from the Ministry of Finance as some of the members.
Ausiku, on behalf of the members pointed out that the fund already has a division that deals with constituencies, within the regions and, therefore, to have a body that only targets constituencies will be challenging.
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