North West Legislature Agriculture Committee meets department over 3rd Quarter Report for 2019/20 Financial Year
The North West Provincial Legislature's Portfolio Committee on Economic Development and Tourism, Agriculture and Rural Development chaired by Hon. Bitsa Lenkopane held a virtual meeting with the Department of Department of Economic Development, Conservation, Environment and Tourism to account over the third quarter performance report for the 2019/20 financial year and five (5) year strategic plan.
The departmental expenditure at the end of the third quarter is expected to be at 75% but it stands only at 64% against the adjusted budget. Thirteen percent of the budget returned to the treasury as a result of non-expenditure and non-performance by the department on its programmes.
The Portfolio Committee noted that the core programmes which hold the high impact projects which are expected to actionalise the Premier's SOPA pronouncements did not perform and hence left the province with a situation that the vacancy rate for department is at 34%, out of 1 892 approved posts, only 1 253 are filled and 639 are still vacant, which the department give as reason for non-performance.
Hon. Lenkopane said the Committee raised serious concerns on areas where the department did not perform and impacted negatively. They include the following:
- 300 green jobs targeted, there was no achievement.
- 900 small holder producers supported targeted, only 317 achieved.
- 25 commercial producers receiving support, only 3 received.
- Department planned for 100 new hectares under irrigation used by small holder producers under farmer support but have not reported any progress for the rest of the quarters.
- Number of hectares planted for food production was targeted 12 400 the achievement is only at 1 763.
- The department could not provide farmers with agricultural mechanization technical advice since they targeted 40, and they achieved only 29 and could not even give the committee a remedial action to the non-achievement.
"We are dissatisfied with the performance of the department where consequence management was not even reflected in their report on actions against those officials who did not perform. This means there was no performance in disciplinary actions taken as reported to the Committee.
"This is an indication that the Committee still needs to do more to continuously interact with the department. It is however, the position as members of the Committee has concluded, to engage the department continuously through acceptable and legal Legislature channels, to represent the people of Bokone Bophirima to receive their deserved services as per the departmental existence and core business," said Hon. Lenkopane.
She said the Portfolio Committee will continue to engage the department on their strategic plan for 5 years and play oversight with specific focus during this COVID-19 on issues of food security. It will further visit all areas where the department have spent and reported performance to check impact on service delivery, value for money and compliance with legislation.
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