Andreas reports fellow Meatco directors to ACC
Controversial Meatco board member Joseph Andreas has alerted the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to allegations that fellow Meatco board members – including veteran business leader Sakaria Nghikembua, who chairs the board – allegedly lacked the qualifications to serve on the company's board.
These claims are contained in Andreas’ scathing letter, dated 1 April, to Nghikembua, which is also carbon copied to ACC director Paulus Noa, finance minister Erica Shafudah and President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
Grootfontein-based businessman Andreas, an influential voice within Swapo, is among those strongly pushing for the return of former Meatco CEO Mwilima Mushokabanji, whose contract expired in January this year, to the company.
The group advocating for Mushokabanji's reinstatement is also accused of playing a role in the ouster of former finance minister Ipumbu Shiimi from Cabinet, reportedly partly due to his refusal to reinstate the former CEO. Shiimi considered the directive unlawful and a legal opinion by Attorney General Festus Mbandeka vindicated his stance.
Allegations made
The Nghikembua-led board opted not to renew Mushokabanji’s contract after assessing his performance. Andreas’ lobbying to have his fellow directors removed is believed by some to be part of a broader plan to bring back the former CEO.
It is alleged that a campaign was orchestrated to portray Shiimi and the board as intent on privatising Meatco, an accusation that was reportedly circulated within Swapo circles to sow discord against those implicated in this alleged plot.
Nghikembua rubbished the allegations, telling Namibian Sun this week: “The board has never, on any day, discussed the privatisation of Meatco. This false narrative is therefore driven to cast aspersions on individuals appointed to the board by casting them as someone’s puppets merely appointed to privatise Meatco.”
He added: “The decision to change ownership of Meatco is not for the board but for the shareholder, if ever that was a consideration.”
Andreas alleges that the appointment of Nghikembua as well as fellow board members Martin Hilbert, Cyprianus Khaiseb and Adolf Muremi was made irregularly and should be investigated.
Internal divisions
Andreas also claims that while all shortlisted candidates were interviewed face-to-face early last year, Nghikembua and Hilbert were interviewed virtually and a week later than the others.
To this, Nghikembua responded: “I was interviewed by a panel, as I assume all directors were. I would not know when other directors were interviewed, as this was not a bulk interview with everyone in the same meeting. I was interviewed on a date that met my availability, as discussed with ministerial colleagues arranging the interviews. I was interviewed virtually.”
Andreas further alleges that the appointment of members who did not, according to him, meet the minimum requirements was driven by ulterior motives, an accusation that reflects a deep division among the board of the state-owned enterprise.
He moreover claims that Nghikembua and Khaiseb do not hold the required master’s degree in agricultural economics, which was a qualification required for the positions in accountancy and economics.
“For the past 20 years, I have served as chief executive officer of significant businesses in Namibia, some of which required serious business turnarounds," Nghikembua, who served as chief executive at Nampost, Old Mutual Namibia, Agribank and Momentum Group, said.
"I have led these businesses successfully. In the past 15 years, I have served on boards of no less than 15 private and public sector businesses, gaining useful experience and insights from such diverse and significant businesses. As part of these board memberships, I have also served as chairperson of no less than five boards," he added.
“Academically, I hold B. Econ and MSc (financial economics) degrees, an executive development programme from a reputable university and various strategy and business leadership courses. So, the allegation that I am not qualified to serve on the Meatco board would make for good comedy if it weren’t so obviously malicious," Nghikembua stressed.
These claims are contained in Andreas’ scathing letter, dated 1 April, to Nghikembua, which is also carbon copied to ACC director Paulus Noa, finance minister Erica Shafudah and President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
Grootfontein-based businessman Andreas, an influential voice within Swapo, is among those strongly pushing for the return of former Meatco CEO Mwilima Mushokabanji, whose contract expired in January this year, to the company.
The group advocating for Mushokabanji's reinstatement is also accused of playing a role in the ouster of former finance minister Ipumbu Shiimi from Cabinet, reportedly partly due to his refusal to reinstate the former CEO. Shiimi considered the directive unlawful and a legal opinion by Attorney General Festus Mbandeka vindicated his stance.
Allegations made
The Nghikembua-led board opted not to renew Mushokabanji’s contract after assessing his performance. Andreas’ lobbying to have his fellow directors removed is believed by some to be part of a broader plan to bring back the former CEO.
It is alleged that a campaign was orchestrated to portray Shiimi and the board as intent on privatising Meatco, an accusation that was reportedly circulated within Swapo circles to sow discord against those implicated in this alleged plot.
Nghikembua rubbished the allegations, telling Namibian Sun this week: “The board has never, on any day, discussed the privatisation of Meatco. This false narrative is therefore driven to cast aspersions on individuals appointed to the board by casting them as someone’s puppets merely appointed to privatise Meatco.”
He added: “The decision to change ownership of Meatco is not for the board but for the shareholder, if ever that was a consideration.”
Andreas alleges that the appointment of Nghikembua as well as fellow board members Martin Hilbert, Cyprianus Khaiseb and Adolf Muremi was made irregularly and should be investigated.
Internal divisions
Andreas also claims that while all shortlisted candidates were interviewed face-to-face early last year, Nghikembua and Hilbert were interviewed virtually and a week later than the others.
To this, Nghikembua responded: “I was interviewed by a panel, as I assume all directors were. I would not know when other directors were interviewed, as this was not a bulk interview with everyone in the same meeting. I was interviewed on a date that met my availability, as discussed with ministerial colleagues arranging the interviews. I was interviewed virtually.”
Andreas further alleges that the appointment of members who did not, according to him, meet the minimum requirements was driven by ulterior motives, an accusation that reflects a deep division among the board of the state-owned enterprise.
He moreover claims that Nghikembua and Khaiseb do not hold the required master’s degree in agricultural economics, which was a qualification required for the positions in accountancy and economics.
“For the past 20 years, I have served as chief executive officer of significant businesses in Namibia, some of which required serious business turnarounds," Nghikembua, who served as chief executive at Nampost, Old Mutual Namibia, Agribank and Momentum Group, said.
"I have led these businesses successfully. In the past 15 years, I have served on boards of no less than 15 private and public sector businesses, gaining useful experience and insights from such diverse and significant businesses. As part of these board memberships, I have also served as chairperson of no less than five boards," he added.
“Academically, I hold B. Econ and MSc (financial economics) degrees, an executive development programme from a reputable university and various strategy and business leadership courses. So, the allegation that I am not qualified to serve on the Meatco board would make for good comedy if it weren’t so obviously malicious," Nghikembua stressed.
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