Honeymoon over for parastatals
The Ministry of Public Enterprises says the honeymoon is over for corruption perpetrators and government will not relent in the fight at the country’s parastatals.
In a statement regarding the suspension of the Namibia Airports Company CEO and an IT executive, the ministry read the riot act, saying the “honeymoon was over once and for all”.
It added: “The ministry will not condone any form of corruption within any of the Namibian public enterprises.” The statement said irregularities at the NAC were brought to their attention.
“A special investigation was authorised. The outcome convinced the ministry to hand the preliminary report to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for further investigation which is still ongoing. The new NAC board was appointed in August 2016 and was duly informed.”
The board also investigated and appointed an auditing firm to complement the efforts of the ACC. The chairperson of the board submitted their request and motivation for permission to suspend both the CEO Tamer El-Kallawi and the strategic executive for engineering, IT and special projects, Courage Silombela. The works minister Alpheus !Naruseb was also procedurally consulted on the matter.
The public enterprise ministry said this was in line with the directive issued on 10 February last year which prohibits the suspension of any CEO/MD or member of the senior management of public enterprises unless the board has sought and received formal written approval from the Ministry of Public Enterprises to do so.
“The Ministry of Public Enterprises wants to honour the board of the NAC for their perseverance and professionalism in their approach. The board members have displayed courage, perseverance and above all integrity which is the most important quality required from all board members of our public enterprises.”
Investigations into irregularities are ongoing, while the ministry said the suspensions were needed to ensure that the probe and continue “unhindered and without any potential interference. The final outcome of this investigation will dictate whether any further action is required and the extent of such required action.”
The ministry cautioned staff at public enterprises, saying corruption in any form will not be tolerated.
“We shall as we have been doing, utilize each and every process, method, person and resource at our disposal to entirely eradicate this phenomenon from the face of our precious public enterprises and we shall restore and maintain integrity.”
STAFF REPORTER
In a statement regarding the suspension of the Namibia Airports Company CEO and an IT executive, the ministry read the riot act, saying the “honeymoon was over once and for all”.
It added: “The ministry will not condone any form of corruption within any of the Namibian public enterprises.” The statement said irregularities at the NAC were brought to their attention.
“A special investigation was authorised. The outcome convinced the ministry to hand the preliminary report to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for further investigation which is still ongoing. The new NAC board was appointed in August 2016 and was duly informed.”
The board also investigated and appointed an auditing firm to complement the efforts of the ACC. The chairperson of the board submitted their request and motivation for permission to suspend both the CEO Tamer El-Kallawi and the strategic executive for engineering, IT and special projects, Courage Silombela. The works minister Alpheus !Naruseb was also procedurally consulted on the matter.
The public enterprise ministry said this was in line with the directive issued on 10 February last year which prohibits the suspension of any CEO/MD or member of the senior management of public enterprises unless the board has sought and received formal written approval from the Ministry of Public Enterprises to do so.
“The Ministry of Public Enterprises wants to honour the board of the NAC for their perseverance and professionalism in their approach. The board members have displayed courage, perseverance and above all integrity which is the most important quality required from all board members of our public enterprises.”
Investigations into irregularities are ongoing, while the ministry said the suspensions were needed to ensure that the probe and continue “unhindered and without any potential interference. The final outcome of this investigation will dictate whether any further action is required and the extent of such required action.”
The ministry cautioned staff at public enterprises, saying corruption in any form will not be tolerated.
“We shall as we have been doing, utilize each and every process, method, person and resource at our disposal to entirely eradicate this phenomenon from the face of our precious public enterprises and we shall restore and maintain integrity.”
STAFF REPORTER
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