New NBC board appointments questioned

INFORMATION minister Peya Mushelenga allegedly did not follow the public enterprises law when he appointed the new NBC board.

Mushelenga announced last week that the new NBC board will be chaired by motivational speaker and businessman Lazarus Jacobs.

Jacobs has since late year faced allegations of sucking up to president Hage Geingob’s political campaign on social media.

This new-found bond comes three years after Jacobs and his business partner Desmond Amunyela threatened to sue Geingob for allegations that they wanted to use him or the state to enrich themselves.

Unlike Amunyela who still does not see eye to eye with Geingob, Jacobs has found himself in the president’s good books.

In fact, Jacobs attended the Swapo introspection meeting last month as a special guest.

Two weeks later, he was appointed to the NBC board which includes MTC spokesperson Tim Ekandjo (deputy chairperson), Michael Jimmy, Monalisa Jacobs, Otjiwarongo chief executive Moses Matjayi and lawyer Inonge Mainga-Sisamu.

A person familiar with this matter said the public enterprises ministry was largely sidelined from the NBC board appointment.

“Mushelenga chose to ignore [the law] and appointed political favourites,” a person in the information ministry said.

Jooste told The Namibian on Monday that the information ministry “consulted us and I have no issue with the new NBC board”.

Mushelenga told The Namibian on Monday that the “(NBC) board was appointed based on the skills and expertise possessed by the individuals”.

He said a consultation process was involved as required by the public enterprises law.

Mushelenga failed to justify why he hand-picked people like it has been done in the past few years.

“Advertisement is just one but not the only method applicable to the process,” Mushelenga said.

Despite Jooste and Mushelengas denials, sources said the law appears to have been ignored.

Section 8 of the Public Enterprises Governance Act regulates how parastatal boards are appointed.

The public enterprises must establish a committee that must recommend people that have skills through a transparent process.

The law states that the public enterprises ministry, after consultation with the line minister (in this case Mushelenga), should produce a report with recommendations of possible names of board members.

The recommendation should include the number of members to be appointed, expertise required, personal details, knowledge, experience and skills.

The line minister – Mushelenga – is not bound by the recommendations or advice of the public enterprises ministry.

“The reason for the departure must be stated in the submission to Cabinet,” the public enterprises law states.

The government has since 2019 publicly advertised parastatal board positions to provide more chances to other Namibians.

This has been the case at the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia, Air Namibia, Namibia Institute of Pathology, NamPower, TransNamib and Namib Desert Diamonds.

The public enterprises minister would then recommend names to relevant ministers.

There are now questions on why the Cabinet allegedly ignored the law in the NBC board appointment.

This is not the first time Jooste appears to have been undermined.