No money to pay green scheme workers

The managing director of the Agricultural Business Development Agency (AgriBusDev), Petrus Uugwanga, says the agency does not have enough money to pay the outstanding salaries of workers at green schemes countrywide.

Uugwanga made the statement in an interview with Nampa on Tuesday, following a press conference held in Rundu on Friday by the Namibia Farm Workers' Union (NAFWU). NAFWU president Cornelius Ntelamo informed the press conference that all workers of green schemes had not received their April and May salaries.

“Workers are very unhappy as this has created a very difficult situation for themselves and their families,” he said.

Ntelamo called on government to consider replacing AgriBusDev as the agency that manages all green schemes as workers generally are not treated well.

He said they have been engaging AgriBusDev since 2017 on the issues of the workers, but the agency has not been able to come through with satisfactory responses.

“This is just a question of cash flow, nothing else. Ideally each green scheme is supposed to pay their workers, but they don't have funds to be able to honour this obligation,” said Uugwanga.

He said the agency is currently engaging government to rescue the situation and that workers will be informed on the way forward. Uugwanga said the situation is tough not only for green schemes, but has affected the agriculture industry in general.

- Nampa