Public enterprises told not to fight

VICE president Nangolo Mbumba and businessman Leake Hangala have urged public enterprises boards and management to stop fighting and work as a team.

Mbumba said this on Friday in Windhoek when he introduced the new National Youth Service board, while Hangala made the remarks on Saturday at the launch of the 2018 Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair 2018 at Ongwediva.

The vice president said he trusted that the constant bickering between boards and management witnessed at some institutions would not be a feature at the NYS.

The board, Mbumba said, should advise management on issues that will contribute positively to the existence and operation of the service.

The NYS board now consist of Inaani Kahikuata, Richwell Lukonga, Escher Luanda, Willem Shigwedha, Ali Dharani and Dagmar Honsbein.

Kahikuata is from the sports and youth ministry, while Lukonga is with the Namibia Training Authority and Luanda represents the GIPF. Shigwedha is from the defence ministry, while Honsbein is a businesswoman, and Dharani owns the Rani Group of Companies.

Mandela Kapere, who has been reappointed to serve on the board for the second time, will be the chairperson, with Emmerentia Leonard as his deputy.

Kapere expressed confidence with the new board members, saying that with their diverse skills, they will maintain stability and meet the needs of the youth.

Hangala said Namibians are fed up with the constant infighting between local authority councillors and chief executive officers, as well as between the boards and public enterprises chief executive officers (CEOs).

According to Hangala, some CEOs appear to be educated, but when appointed, they steal and manipulate the resources of the organisation.

“Such betrayal of trust must stop,” he stressed. “This infighting disrupts the proper functioning of institutions and delays service delivery.”

Hangala added that competent people do not want to join local institutions for fear of ending up in a cycle of humiliation at the hands of councillors or directors.

“I would urge our political parties to nominate the brightest and the best as candidates for town councils. I do not mean the best educated but rather men and women of integrity because I have seen so many educated fools,” he said.