Broken board on autopilot
The Namibia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board’s (NPBWCB) Bernhard Haufiku has been accused of allegedly running the board in an unruly manner.
Jesse Jackson Kauraisa
WINDHOEK
The Namibia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board (NPBWCB) is running on autopilot, with only two board members remaining.
Chairperson Bernhard Haufiku and Josef 'Joe Archer' Shikongo are the only people currently still part of the board following the latest resignations.
Lawyer Saima Nghihalwa and director of commerce at the industrialisation ministry Maria Pogisho allegedly both resigned from the board recently.
These resignations confirm the troubles reported by former board member Trevor Mills, who resigned last year.
Mills revealed that he and the board were supposed to meet to discuss the situation, but this never materialised as no one made the effort to meet him last year.
Appointed in October 2019, the former board member’s term was due to run for three years.
“I hear that Bernhard Haufiku is the problem and the reason why board members are resigning,” a source said.
It is alleged that the recent resignations stem from disorganisation and a lack of communication among board members.
‘Just not working out’
NPBWCB board chairperson Bernhard Haufiku confirmed one of the resignations.
“All I know is that one of the ladies had resigned, but I was not told that they both did.
“The truth is that this thing is not just working out and I hope that the minister of sport will just dissolve this board in order for a new one to come in,” Haufiku said.
He added that lack of money and time have hampered the operations of the board, and believes things would be different if everyone had been pulling in one direction.
“There have been so many misunderstandings amongst board members, even though we held so many meetings.
“I already requested to meet with the minister on the way forward,” he said.
Pending tournaments
The NPBWCB currently has pending boxing tournament requests that they need to sign in order for these events to take place.
“We are unable to sign this because we first have to come up with regulations.
“The fact that coronavirus pandemic is in our midst calls for better health protocols. No official or fan must be allowed in the boxing premises without providing a negative test result,” he said.
Haufiku added that one of their plans is to amend the Boxing Act.
As things stand, the country’s boxing board is still reliant on an Act which has been in use since 1980.
WINDHOEK
The Namibia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board (NPBWCB) is running on autopilot, with only two board members remaining.
Chairperson Bernhard Haufiku and Josef 'Joe Archer' Shikongo are the only people currently still part of the board following the latest resignations.
Lawyer Saima Nghihalwa and director of commerce at the industrialisation ministry Maria Pogisho allegedly both resigned from the board recently.
These resignations confirm the troubles reported by former board member Trevor Mills, who resigned last year.
Mills revealed that he and the board were supposed to meet to discuss the situation, but this never materialised as no one made the effort to meet him last year.
Appointed in October 2019, the former board member’s term was due to run for three years.
“I hear that Bernhard Haufiku is the problem and the reason why board members are resigning,” a source said.
It is alleged that the recent resignations stem from disorganisation and a lack of communication among board members.
‘Just not working out’
NPBWCB board chairperson Bernhard Haufiku confirmed one of the resignations.
“All I know is that one of the ladies had resigned, but I was not told that they both did.
“The truth is that this thing is not just working out and I hope that the minister of sport will just dissolve this board in order for a new one to come in,” Haufiku said.
He added that lack of money and time have hampered the operations of the board, and believes things would be different if everyone had been pulling in one direction.
“There have been so many misunderstandings amongst board members, even though we held so many meetings.
“I already requested to meet with the minister on the way forward,” he said.
Pending tournaments
The NPBWCB currently has pending boxing tournament requests that they need to sign in order for these events to take place.
“We are unable to sign this because we first have to come up with regulations.
“The fact that coronavirus pandemic is in our midst calls for better health protocols. No official or fan must be allowed in the boxing premises without providing a negative test result,” he said.
Haufiku added that one of their plans is to amend the Boxing Act.
As things stand, the country’s boxing board is still reliant on an Act which has been in use since 1980.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article