No retrenchments at ODC, NDC
The head of the newly established Namibia Industrialisation Development Agency (NIDA), Uparura Kuvare, says no staff members of the former Offshore Development Company (ODC) and Namibia Development Corporation (NDC) will be retrenched.
The two entities become redundant when NIDA became operational last year. NIDA has taken over their functions, assets, liabilities and obligations, Kuvare briefly explained.
The Namibian recently reported that retrenchments were a possibility after the new board - which consists of Kuvare, board chairperson Frans Kwala, Marcelina !Gaoses, Diana van Schalkwyk, Anita /Naris, Job Muniaro and Hans Jochelson - triggered panic and uncertainty over jobs and salaries that remained unpaid at the end of January due to a dispute about who has bank signing powers.
“The [old] staff members [of ODC and NDC] were brought on board. What will happen now is that procedures are in place to bring or put in place an organogram. Where we are now is putting in controls before transfers, the transfer steps are clearly defined in the NIDA Act,” Kuvare said.
“Our approach as the board was to do it with all due diligence, with all sensitivity and to conform to what the law tells us to do.
“The NIDA Act tells us what to do and we cannot compromise.”
According to Kuvare, the new board was simply establishing “a framework of governance”.
“There are internal things that need to be sorted out, it's very sensitive,” he said.
There are 294 former staff members that will be affected by the transfer. Kuvare, however, gave his assurance that all staff members would be treated equally.
He added that industrialisation minister Tjekero Tweya had determined that by 15 November 2018, the activities and responsibilities of the now defunct ODC and NDC would be taken over by NIDA.
“A gazette was issued that from that date NIDA takes over all assets, liabilities and obligations of the NDC and ODC,” said Kuvare.
He explained it was odd that being bank account signatories still had to remain outside the responsibility of NIDA.
“We gave notice; we are changing names and signatories. At no point have funds been withdrawn, processes are being strengthened,” Kuvare said. “We are empowered to take those assets.”
NIDA's assets reportedly stand at N$2 billion, according to Kuvare. These include various farms, business parks, incubation centres and tourism establishments, Kuvare said.
Industrialisation ministry acting executive director Bernadette Menyah-Artivor is said to have rejected calls by other state officials to transfer assets and investments worth N$120 million from the ODC, it was reported recently.
Touching on other matters, Kuvare said the NIDA board was moving speedily to appoint an executive committee.
“We want to accelerate this process and have a blueprint finalised, so that when the new team comes, there is a foundation. I am only here for a short period of time; it's a secondment,” he said.
Cabinet in 2015 approved the establishment of NIDA, which will incorporate the NDC and the ODC, as well as their two boards of directors, and will include representation from government ministries and agencies and the private sector.
The agency will generate operating revenue from project management and implementation on behalf of government; develop business infrastructure; be responsible for production operations in agriculture; the sourcing of loan financing through development financing institutions and the co-investment in key projects by other public or private sector partners.
The NDC was established by the Namibia Development Corporation Act of 1993, while the ODC was established in terms of article 26 of the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) Act.
The ODC's mandate was to promote and market investment opportunities in Namibia's export processing zones and to monitor and coordinate all EPZ-related activities.
STAFF REPORTER
The two entities become redundant when NIDA became operational last year. NIDA has taken over their functions, assets, liabilities and obligations, Kuvare briefly explained.
The Namibian recently reported that retrenchments were a possibility after the new board - which consists of Kuvare, board chairperson Frans Kwala, Marcelina !Gaoses, Diana van Schalkwyk, Anita /Naris, Job Muniaro and Hans Jochelson - triggered panic and uncertainty over jobs and salaries that remained unpaid at the end of January due to a dispute about who has bank signing powers.
“The [old] staff members [of ODC and NDC] were brought on board. What will happen now is that procedures are in place to bring or put in place an organogram. Where we are now is putting in controls before transfers, the transfer steps are clearly defined in the NIDA Act,” Kuvare said.
“Our approach as the board was to do it with all due diligence, with all sensitivity and to conform to what the law tells us to do.
“The NIDA Act tells us what to do and we cannot compromise.”
According to Kuvare, the new board was simply establishing “a framework of governance”.
“There are internal things that need to be sorted out, it's very sensitive,” he said.
There are 294 former staff members that will be affected by the transfer. Kuvare, however, gave his assurance that all staff members would be treated equally.
He added that industrialisation minister Tjekero Tweya had determined that by 15 November 2018, the activities and responsibilities of the now defunct ODC and NDC would be taken over by NIDA.
“A gazette was issued that from that date NIDA takes over all assets, liabilities and obligations of the NDC and ODC,” said Kuvare.
He explained it was odd that being bank account signatories still had to remain outside the responsibility of NIDA.
“We gave notice; we are changing names and signatories. At no point have funds been withdrawn, processes are being strengthened,” Kuvare said. “We are empowered to take those assets.”
NIDA's assets reportedly stand at N$2 billion, according to Kuvare. These include various farms, business parks, incubation centres and tourism establishments, Kuvare said.
Industrialisation ministry acting executive director Bernadette Menyah-Artivor is said to have rejected calls by other state officials to transfer assets and investments worth N$120 million from the ODC, it was reported recently.
Touching on other matters, Kuvare said the NIDA board was moving speedily to appoint an executive committee.
“We want to accelerate this process and have a blueprint finalised, so that when the new team comes, there is a foundation. I am only here for a short period of time; it's a secondment,” he said.
Cabinet in 2015 approved the establishment of NIDA, which will incorporate the NDC and the ODC, as well as their two boards of directors, and will include representation from government ministries and agencies and the private sector.
The agency will generate operating revenue from project management and implementation on behalf of government; develop business infrastructure; be responsible for production operations in agriculture; the sourcing of loan financing through development financing institutions and the co-investment in key projects by other public or private sector partners.
The NDC was established by the Namibia Development Corporation Act of 1993, while the ODC was established in terms of article 26 of the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) Act.
The ODC's mandate was to promote and market investment opportunities in Namibia's export processing zones and to monitor and coordinate all EPZ-related activities.
STAFF REPORTER
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