Topic: Enhancing Public Budget Transparency in Botswana 1. Introduction The role of national budget in an economy cannot be overemphasized. Simply defined, a national budget is a proposal of government’s revenues and expenditures for a given financial year. According to Faleti and Myrick (2012), a budget is an important instrument of national resource mobilisation and allocation, and fiscal and economic management. It is an economic instrument for facilitating and realizing the objectives and programs of government in a given fiscal year. Faleti and Myrick (2012) noted that if a national budget is to serve as an effective instrument for promoting the growth and development of a country, certain basic conditions must be met. One of such conditions …show more content…
For example, Botswana’s performance for the 2010 Open Budget Index (OBI-2010) showed that the performance has declined for three consecutive occasions, from 65% in 2006 to 62% in 2008 and 51% in 2010 (Kaboyakgosi, 2011, p.1). Also, some aspects of the budgetary processes (especially the assessment of the budget document) are still shrouded in secrecy, and available to only the Executive. The key factor in effective implementation of a national budget in any economy is strict adherence to the principles of openness and transparency. According to Kaboyakgosi (2011), transparent or open budget facilitates and supports timely public access to budget information. In addition, it enhances citizen participation in the budgetary process, engenders budgetary accountability by strengthening the role and independence of oversight institutions such as Parliament and Supreme Audit Institution (SAI)-or the Office of the Auditor General, attracts foreign investment, and more importantly, promotes good governance. 2. The …show more content…
In fact, some observers (e.g. Treisman, 2000) have been blamed the failures of most developing countries to develop on this factor. It is also one of the major causes of corruption, fraud, and inefficiency in the public sector. In Botswana for example, lack of transparency and poor access to public data has contributed to fraud and misappropriation of public resources as shown by the case of the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) (Botswana Gazzette: Makgapho, 22 Feb 2012). It is also argued that poor access to public data impedes the efforts of the citizens to hold government accountable for its actions. The problem therefore, centres on how to enhance transparency in the budget process in order to minimize corruption and fraud, engender accountability, encourage citizens’ participation, and promote development in the country. References Faleti, K.O. and Myrick, D. (2012) The Nigerian budgeting process: A framework for increasing employment performance. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 12(3): 193-213. Kaboyakgosi, G. (2011) Enhancing Public Budget Transparency in Botswana: How and Why? Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis, 1-12. Phirinyane, M. (n.d.) Budget transparency and participation: Nine African countries. Retrieved 29 September, 2014, from: http://www.sap4africa.net/sites/default/files/publications/idasa_nine_budget_transparency_case_studies.pdf
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