“Too many levies breed corruption”- Nasha

  • Accuses Minister of Finance for creating climate for corruption
  • “We advised Mathambo against introduction of so many levies”

SESUPO RANTSIMAKO

FRANCISTOWN: Special Advisor to the Alliance for Progressives (AP) Margaret Nasha says the introduction of many levies has led to a lack of unaccountability that has created a ripe climate for corruption in the country.
Nasha singled out Finance Minister Kenneth Mathambo saying they warned him against the many levies. “There are always reports of corruption from these levies due to lack of monitoring and accountability. Therefore people are now taking advantage of this and use this money for corrupt practices. There is a lot of corruption of these levies because Mathambo has created a suitable climate of corruption,” Nasha told the AP launch rally in Francistown- stating that there is need for accountability and monitoring of levies.
Nasha is of the view that some of the levies should be scrapped. “These levies are no longer serving their intended purpose therefore should be stopped,” she said.
Nasha’s remarks were centered around the Petrolium Levy which saw businessman Bakang Seretse and his co-accused fingered for possible money laundering of millions of pula.
In 2015 the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) learnt that government had failed to collect the Plastic Levy from businesses since its introduction in 2007. The levy was introduced in order to fund environmental care initiatives but government failed to collect as it was reported that there were no adequate structures to enable ease of collection. At the time when quizzed why the government failed to collect the levy, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism Elias Magosi said the collection of the money for the levy was supposed to be done by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. “As much as the levy was passed in 2007, collection of the money has not happened,” he confirmed to PAC in 2015.
Reached for comment, Mathambo said he did not recall Nasha advising him on levies. “I have my own view about these levies but Nasha has never advised me. This is what I can only say,” he told The Botswana Gazette.