BPC costs drive P2bn supplementary budget

A P1.98 billion supplementary 2013/14 budget was due before legislators this week, with the Minerals, Energy and Water Resources Ministry seeking the lion's share, mainly as a result of the delayed Morupule B project.

Supplementary Finance Paper No. 1 of 2013/14 was due to be discussed and passed before Parliament's closure today (Friday). By Wednesday, Parliament's Finance and Estimates Committee was still conducting meetings with the ministries seeking additional recurrent and development funds under the proposed supplementary.

Information passed to BusinessWeek on Wednesday indicates that of the total P1.98 billion in recurrent and development supplementary funding, the Finance Ministry was proposing, the Botswana Power Corporation's parent ministry alone was seeking P1.1 billion.  In October, Finance Ministry officials revealed that delays in full generation from Morupule B Power Station had resulted in additional costs of P1.2 billion in emergency power purchases during the year.

Editor's Comment
Watch your tongue Mr President

While his leadership has brought about significant progress and development, it is imperative that he exercises greater caution in his choice of words, particularly when addressing sensitive matters.One of the primary concerns is the potential impact of his remarks on Botswana’s relationship with De Beers, the diamond mining giant that plays a crucial role in the nation’s economy.The partnership between Botswana and De Beers has been mutually...

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