Govt shares blame for Air Namibia
The ongoing Air Namibia liquidation saga continues to hog local media headlines, albeit for all wrong reasons.
As the primary shareholder, the government has over the years failed to demand professional and high performance from the individuals appointed to serve on the board of the airline. The continued pumping in of money into the airline - considered a bottomless pit by many - also showed how irresponsible the government’s decisions around Air Namibia were. We all know what happens when you pour water into a bucket that has holes in it without first patching up those holes.
The questionable appointment of board members, many with merely rudimentary aviation experience, also made matters worse. How do you expect a board comprised of individuals who know little about running airlines to provide strategic direction to the company? Government, as much as the airline’s management, must equally share the blame as far as the demise of the airline is concerned.
The fact that the airline has not produced financials for more than 10 years is a clear sign that the government did not pay attention to the crisis that had been brewing at the airline for years.
Government, as the representative of the citizenry, owes this nation an apology. Many will agree that the liquidation, or at least restructuring, of the airline is long overdue but the culture of indecision once more reigned supreme.
If something drastic is not done to ensure that the gatekeepers of our resources do their jobs, then we are in for a turbulent governance journey.
Those entrusted to run the country must treat public resources as their own or else step aside for others to come do the work.
As the primary shareholder, the government has over the years failed to demand professional and high performance from the individuals appointed to serve on the board of the airline. The continued pumping in of money into the airline - considered a bottomless pit by many - also showed how irresponsible the government’s decisions around Air Namibia were. We all know what happens when you pour water into a bucket that has holes in it without first patching up those holes.
The questionable appointment of board members, many with merely rudimentary aviation experience, also made matters worse. How do you expect a board comprised of individuals who know little about running airlines to provide strategic direction to the company? Government, as much as the airline’s management, must equally share the blame as far as the demise of the airline is concerned.
The fact that the airline has not produced financials for more than 10 years is a clear sign that the government did not pay attention to the crisis that had been brewing at the airline for years.
Government, as the representative of the citizenry, owes this nation an apology. Many will agree that the liquidation, or at least restructuring, of the airline is long overdue but the culture of indecision once more reigned supreme.
If something drastic is not done to ensure that the gatekeepers of our resources do their jobs, then we are in for a turbulent governance journey.
Those entrusted to run the country must treat public resources as their own or else step aside for others to come do the work.
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