Ohangwena without a CRO for two years
The chairperson of Ohangwena Regional Council's management committee, Erikson Ndawanifa, has confirmed that his region is still without a chief regional officer although candidates were interviewed two years ago.
In 2015 Ohangwena interviewed candidates for the CRO position to replace Daniel Kashikola, who became a member of parliament and deputy minister of safety and security in 2015. But the regional council failed to consult the urban and rural development minister, Sophia Shaningwa, when they made recommendations for their preferred candidates. Members of the Ohangwena regional council held a meeting with Shaningwa yesterday seeking her advice on the way forward.
It is reported that both Shaningwa and the Public Service Commission refused to endorse their appointments, alleging that they had not followed procedure. It was reported that after the interviews, the council submitted their recommendations to the PSC twice, but they were referred back to them. However, the council opted to stand its ground.
“Yes, is true that we interviewed candidates for the position two years ago. It is now a complicated issue. We have completed the recruitment process and have already recommended our preferred candidate, but after we made our submission to the PSC they instructed us to do something else,” Ndawanifa said.
“Another complication is that the Regional Council Act stipulates that recommendations for a CRO position must be made in consultation with the line minister. When we made our recommendation, we did not consult the urban and rural development minister, Sophia Shaningwa. Therefore, we cannot go ahead with the recruitment process until the minister pronounces herself.”
Ndawanifa said that did not mean there was any disagreement between the council and the PSC, but they only needed to resolve a few issues and wait for minister's recommendation. He said they were afraid of violating the law. The outcome of yesterday's meeting is not yet known and the permanent secretary for the urban and rural development ministry, Daniel Nghidinwa, could not comment on the matter.
The council's retired director for general services and administration, Phillip Uusiku, and director of planning, Fellep Shilongo, have being acting as CEO.
In 2015 Ohangwena interviewed candidates for the CRO position to replace Daniel Kashikola, who became a member of parliament and deputy minister of safety and security in 2015. But the regional council failed to consult the urban and rural development minister, Sophia Shaningwa, when they made recommendations for their preferred candidates. Members of the Ohangwena regional council held a meeting with Shaningwa yesterday seeking her advice on the way forward.
It is reported that both Shaningwa and the Public Service Commission refused to endorse their appointments, alleging that they had not followed procedure. It was reported that after the interviews, the council submitted their recommendations to the PSC twice, but they were referred back to them. However, the council opted to stand its ground.
“Yes, is true that we interviewed candidates for the position two years ago. It is now a complicated issue. We have completed the recruitment process and have already recommended our preferred candidate, but after we made our submission to the PSC they instructed us to do something else,” Ndawanifa said.
“Another complication is that the Regional Council Act stipulates that recommendations for a CRO position must be made in consultation with the line minister. When we made our recommendation, we did not consult the urban and rural development minister, Sophia Shaningwa. Therefore, we cannot go ahead with the recruitment process until the minister pronounces herself.”
Ndawanifa said that did not mean there was any disagreement between the council and the PSC, but they only needed to resolve a few issues and wait for minister's recommendation. He said they were afraid of violating the law. The outcome of yesterday's meeting is not yet known and the permanent secretary for the urban and rural development ministry, Daniel Nghidinwa, could not comment on the matter.
The council's retired director for general services and administration, Phillip Uusiku, and director of planning, Fellep Shilongo, have being acting as CEO.
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