No unauthorised actions at NHE, chairman counters

ACCUSATIONS that the board chairman of the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) did not declare his partnership with the parastatal’s Chief Executive Officer in a consultancy company were untrue, the chairman has said.

Two newspapers reported that Professor Gerhard Toetemeyer, who has chaired the NHE since March 2005, allegedly did not inform the board about CEO Vinson Hailulu’s work for Toetemeyer’s company called New Paradigm Consultancy. It was further alleged that Toetemeyer steamrolled a restructuring exercise at the NHE which cost four managers their jobs.”Nothing of the kind is true, this is a smear campaign against myself and Mr Vinson Hailulu, the CEO,” Toetemeyer told The Namibian yesterday.”We will pursue these wrong allegations with legal action against all such persons who are found to have misrepresented facts,” he added.In a statement, NHE said Toetemeyer had in fact disclosed to the NHE board his business partnership and that he recused himself from the selection committee that decided on Hailulu’s appointment in August last year.The Board allowed Hailulu to “perform private work in his private time with the consent of the Board, provided such work does not render any conflict with NHE interest,” the parastatal said.Allegations that Hailulu had used the company’s credit card for personal expenses were also denied.”The card was only used for official expenses …the Board is fully aware of the purchase of one pair of soccer boots, one (pair of) soccer shorts and one pair of soccer socks, which are the property of the company,” the NHE said.It was further alleged that Toetemeyer steamrolled a restructuring exercise at the NHE which cost four managers their jobs.”Nothing of the kind is true, this is a smear campaign against myself and Mr Vinson Hailulu, the CEO,” Toetemeyer told The Namibian yesterday.”We will pursue these wrong allegations with legal action against all such persons who are found to have misrepresented facts,” he added.In a statement, NHE said Toetemeyer had in fact disclosed to the NHE board his business partnership and that he recused himself from the selection committee that decided on Hailulu’s appointment in August last year.The Board allowed Hailulu to “perform private work in his private time with the consent of the Board, provided such work does not render any conflict with NHE interest,” the parastatal said.Allegations that Hailulu had used the company’s credit card for personal expenses were also denied.”The card was only used for official expenses …the Board is fully aware of the purchase of one pair of soccer boots, one (pair of) soccer shorts and one pair of soccer socks, which are the property of the company,” the NHE said.