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## 103. Arrears of Revenue 

Although the Ministry has through the Department of Housing, collected substantial revenues through leases of Government quarters in the year under review, there has been tardiness in the follow-up of collections of arrears of revenue under these accounts. The collection rate is indicated in the table below:- 

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## 104. Audit Inspection – Department of Housing, Gaborone 

An audit inspection of the accounting records maintained by the Department of Housing on pool houses allocated to Government by Botswana Housing Corporation on rental basis had shown instances of weaknesses and other shortcomings in the management of these houses. The findings included the following- 

(a) The rental for houses allocated to public officers is paid by deductions from the salaries of those officers, but where this is not possible, the rental is paid directly to the Department. An examination of the rental collection records had shown that there were delays of up to 6 weeks in banking the collections received, contrary to the provisions of Financial Instructions and Procedures which require more frequent banking of all revenue collections. 

(b) Two instances of fraudulent use of pool houses had been noted. In one instance, an officer of the former Ministry of Lands and Housing had allocated himself 14 pool houses and sublet them, and thereby collected a total of P805 900 in rental for his personal benefit in the period between 2014 and 2018. In the process of the Ministry preparing his terminal benefits, the officer had refused to sign the liabilities schedule in acknowledgement of debt. While the case is being followed up for the criminal aspect, it has also been referred to Attorney General for assistance in recovering the fraudulently obtained money. 

In another instance, an officer in the Department had allocated institutional pool houses to members of the public without following the official procedure, for personal gain. The officer 

