. . . MPs question LEGCO posts and salaries
. . . Want the company dismantled and started afresh
Mohloai Mpesi
TEMPERS flared in Parliament yesterday during a heated Public Accounts Committee (PAC) session featuring Matala Constituency legislator, Tšeliso Moroke, of the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) and the Principal Secretary (PS) for the Ministry of Energy, Tankiso Phapano.
The PAC had summoned officials from the Ministry of Energy and the Lesotho Electricity Generation Company (LEGCO) to answer questions regarding LEGCO’s legality and justification of its operational expenses.
According to the PAC, there is currently no law that backs the establishment of LEGCO.
PS Phapano conceded that a bill meant to legalise the company’s existence remains pending before Parliament.
However, committee members were outraged that the company is operating despite such a legal vacuum.
They further alleged that LEGCO was staffed with individuals without appropriate qualifications, yet they earn hefty salaries which, they argued, amounts to gross misuse of public funds.
The PAC Chairperson, ’Machabana Lemphane-Letsie, read aloud a list of employees and their monthly salaries but PS Phapano objected, saying that salary details are confidential, which only further provoked committee members.
Dr Moroke responded sharply, asking whether the PS was suggesting the committee should remain silent in the face of what he described as serious irregularities.
He insisted that if LEGCO had been lawfully established, its operations would reflect a more professional and accountable structure, while Ms Lemphane-Letsie pointed to what she termed clear evidence of mismanagement.
For instance, she said the Finance Manager holds only a BA in Business Entrepreneurship yet is tasked with managing a portfolio worth over M1.5 billion, earning M66,000 monthly.
She added that the Chief Executive Officer earns M87,000 despite only holding a BSc Honours Degree in Metrology, a Postgraduate Diploma in Metrology, and a Master of Business Administration.
PS Phapano kept insisting that salaries are private and should therefore not be publicised, but Dr Moroke interjected once more, accusing him of trying to cover up mismanagement and corruption. He said it was unacceptable for taxpayers’ money to be used to enrich individuals who are not fit for their positions, further arguing that the structure of LEGCO is flawed and should be dismantled entirely.
“You cannot have this many people holding senior positions for just one plant, especially when there is no law backing the structure,” Dr Moroke said.
“This is money that should be benefiting Basotho through electricity access, not lining the pockets of the unqualified.”
As PS Phapano attempted to clarify his position, saying he was being misinterpreted, Dr Moroke dismissed the explanation, maintaining that the committee had a duty to expose such issues.
At that point, Ms Lemphane-Letsie intervened to restore order, warning PS Phapano that the way he engaged with MPs could land him in trouble and telling him the PAC cannot conceal information of salaries paid from public coffers.
She reminded him that all government officials’ salaries, including MPs, are public knowledge so there was no reason for LEGCO to be treated differently.
She questioned how someone with a qualification in Business Entrepreneurship could be entrusted with a project worth over M1.5 billion.
She expressed shock that a Solar Project Manager, who earns M66,500 per month, only holds a BTech in Mechanical Engineering, a qualification she said is more suitable for vehicle repairs than running major solar energy projects.
That the same manager also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management and Hydropower Management did not justify their salary or position, she added.
She also queried why the Human Resources Manager who holds a BA degree in Public Administration and a Postgraduate Diploma in Labour Law, Arbitration and Conciliation, earns M66,500 monthly.
On the other hand, the Principal Electrical Engineer earns only M43,000 despite holding a Diploma and BTech degree in Electrical Engineering.
She said this suggests inconsistencies in salary grading.
Ms Lemphane-Letsie went on to insist that LEGCO should be dismantled and rebuilt from scratch with qualified individuals under a proper legal framework, further questioning the logic of retaining a structure that operates outside the law, draining public resources. She also questioned the wisdom of employing personnel such as a Procurement Specialist who holds an MSc in Applied Economics and a BA in Economics, in a company that has no budget to procure anything.
The need for a Public Relations Officer earning M40,000 with only an associate degree in Media Studies and Journalism also came under spotlight. The PAC chairperson said since Basotho are largely unaware of LEGCO’s existence, therefore it casts doubt on the relevance of the PRO position.
She also criticised the appointment of a Systems Support Officer with a BSc degree in Computer Science and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration; and that of an Environment, Occupational Health and Safety Officer who holds degrees in Agriculture and Environmental Science.
Both earn M40,000 monthly.
Dr Moroke claimed some employees at LEGCO work only eight days per month yet earn full salaries, while others work for four days, go home, then return for another four before calling it a full month.
He criticised the company for employing 10 people whose roles remain unclear, adding that expensive equipment worth over M1.5 billion at the power plant is not adequately protected, with cables being stolen and the premises not properly secured in the absence of an electric fence. The people meant to be safeguarding the facility are, instead, stationed in Maseru, she said.
Dr Moroke said the only viable solution was to dismantle LEGCO and start afresh with legally mandated structures and properly qualified staff.
