The newly appointed Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) board chairperson, Marumo Morule readies to suspend national Sport Associations (NSAs) that are not complying with governance provisions.
The NSAs are prone to unethical and unprofessional conduct in dealing with operational matters that have to do with the running of sport.
The NSAs continue to fare badly despite efforts to educate them on doing things orderly.
Marumo warned the NSAs that he is empowered by the BNSC board constitution to take drastic measures to reprimand the uncomplying NSAs.
His sentiments were shared to the sport leaders during the BNSC Annual General meeting on Thursday in Gaborone.
“The BNSC board is empowered by the Act, to among others, suspend recognition of an NSA or to de-register the Association if no improvement is shown” warned Morule.
He explained the BNSC has indicators they use to track compliance at the level of NSAs. “Timely submission of Annual Returns to the Registrar of Societies, timely submission of Audited Financial Statements to the BNSC and reporting to your general membership through Annual General Meetings, which is a requirement in your Constitutions” are compliance indicators the BNSC use.
“I wish to inform you that you have not fared well in these indicators because, 66.7% complied on the indicator on Annual Returns, 40% complied with Audited Financial Statements, whereas 46.7% complied with the indicator on Annual General Meetings. I understand that this has been addressed in several fora but there has been little improvement to date. I therefore believe that we need to agree that action must be taken to remedy the situation, otherwise this state of affairs inhibits performance of sport in general” he explained to the NSA leaders.
He further added “We are empowered by the Act, to among others, suspend recognition of an NSA or to de-register the Association if no improvement is shown. The BNSC Act No. 30 of 2014 functions mandates the Commission to regulate sport at all levels. He explained that the BNSC board takes compliance issues seriously and to show the board’s commitment the board found it fit to strengthen governance at NSAs, such as compliance of statutes among others.
BNSC has drawn a Constitution template that NSAs are to use to address the various pitfalls observed in the current constitutions used by NSAs. The template will largely, assist with issues of Governance in Sport Associations; align the reporting timelines with those of the Secretariat as well as MYSC.
He implored NSAs to continuously, strive for good governance of sport, which includes among others smooth transition of leadership in accordance with various statutes that govern our organisations.
Still with BNSC, Morule also told his affiliates that the among other challenges faced by BNCS is the suspension of school’s sport in government primary and secondary schools by the ministry of basic education.
“The intervention needs a multi-stakeholder approach. Our discussion should therefore be on how we can help in resolving the problem as the sport authorities; from Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, the Botswana National Sport Commission to National Sport Associations. This is because the effects of no sport activity at school is far reaching, as school sport is a seedbed for development of sport in your individual sport codes. We are currently engaging with our parent Ministry with a view to contribute ideas” observed Morule. The Ministry of basic education owes teachers P32m debt that they owed teachers involved with sport as officiating fees for previous year’s events.
A Task Team on School Sport has been appointed by the Ministries of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development and that of Basic Education.