The drum that Land-a-Dollar forgot
The University of Namibia's Land-a-Dollar fundraising campaign did not end a year ago but is continuing indefinitely, its organisers say.
Tsumeb municipal workers last week claimed that a Land-A-Dollar collection drum standing at the entrance of their building had never been removed and contained money.
They were unable to say how much money was in the drum, as it was difficult to look inside.
Land-a-Dollar organisers subsequently informed Namibian Sun that they were aware of the drum and that it had not been mistakenly left there.
“The campaign has not closed or ended, the campaign just had a handover of the money that was at that time realised from all the drums before the handover,” the Unam student representative council (SRC) told Namibian Sun.
“The campaign still stands open, even for the public, if they want to pledge and donate. All funds are being recorded and will still be transferred to the appropriate accounts.”
Multiple media reports had indicated previously that the drum portion of the campaign ended when the drums were collected and counting of the money began in late 2016 and early 2017.
Organisers at the time were quoted as saying that other initiatives under the Land-a-Dollar campaign would continue, including donations via text messages, money transfer mobile applications, public dialogues and gala dinners.
In September 2017 Nampa quoted a Unam official as saying: “Since the close of the campaign, with the assistance of the Namibian Police, the drums were collected in each town and taken to the nearest NamPost office for counting of the collection in accordance to the auditing procedures established.”
But last week, the organisers insisted the drum campaign never ended.
They remained mum on the details of when the drums were redistributed, how many and to which towns.
“The public shall be notified the same way this handover was handled, so will be the next handover. The accounting firm remains the same as the campaign has not closed. Books still need to be audited,” they wrote to Namibian Sun.
In January, Nampa reported that the Land-a-Dollar campaign, launched in August 2015 as a student charitable campaign, had collected N$234 619 from the public.
Nampa further reported that the cash from the drums amounted to N$7 482, while the remaining N$227 137 was from contributions made by the public to the campaign's NamPost bank account.
The campaign had aimed to raise at least N$1 million and as much as N$3 million to contribute towards land servicing in urban areas.
Organisers handed over 60% of the total amount, N$140 779, to the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development.
The remaining N$93 813 was paid to the campaign's consultancy, Easy Advertising.
At least 400 200-litre drums had been placed at various locations in 15 towns.
JANA-MARI SMITH
Tsumeb municipal workers last week claimed that a Land-A-Dollar collection drum standing at the entrance of their building had never been removed and contained money.
They were unable to say how much money was in the drum, as it was difficult to look inside.
Land-a-Dollar organisers subsequently informed Namibian Sun that they were aware of the drum and that it had not been mistakenly left there.
“The campaign has not closed or ended, the campaign just had a handover of the money that was at that time realised from all the drums before the handover,” the Unam student representative council (SRC) told Namibian Sun.
“The campaign still stands open, even for the public, if they want to pledge and donate. All funds are being recorded and will still be transferred to the appropriate accounts.”
Multiple media reports had indicated previously that the drum portion of the campaign ended when the drums were collected and counting of the money began in late 2016 and early 2017.
Organisers at the time were quoted as saying that other initiatives under the Land-a-Dollar campaign would continue, including donations via text messages, money transfer mobile applications, public dialogues and gala dinners.
In September 2017 Nampa quoted a Unam official as saying: “Since the close of the campaign, with the assistance of the Namibian Police, the drums were collected in each town and taken to the nearest NamPost office for counting of the collection in accordance to the auditing procedures established.”
But last week, the organisers insisted the drum campaign never ended.
They remained mum on the details of when the drums were redistributed, how many and to which towns.
“The public shall be notified the same way this handover was handled, so will be the next handover. The accounting firm remains the same as the campaign has not closed. Books still need to be audited,” they wrote to Namibian Sun.
In January, Nampa reported that the Land-a-Dollar campaign, launched in August 2015 as a student charitable campaign, had collected N$234 619 from the public.
Nampa further reported that the cash from the drums amounted to N$7 482, while the remaining N$227 137 was from contributions made by the public to the campaign's NamPost bank account.
The campaign had aimed to raise at least N$1 million and as much as N$3 million to contribute towards land servicing in urban areas.
Organisers handed over 60% of the total amount, N$140 779, to the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development.
The remaining N$93 813 was paid to the campaign's consultancy, Easy Advertising.
At least 400 200-litre drums had been placed at various locations in 15 towns.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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