TransNamib to get new board
A tumultuous term of office for the old board runs out in November.
The Ministry of Works and Transport has announced that it is looking for new board members for TransNamib.
The current board's term will end on 3 November. The deadline for submissions for new candidates is 24 September, after which shortlisted candidates will be interviewed.
All candidates must be professionally qualified Namibians, and a gender balance will be a consideration in the constitution of the new board, the ministry announced.
The term of the current board, chaired by Paul Smit and deputised by lawyer Elize Angula, started in November 2015 and was not without controversy.
One of the first directives from the works ministry as well as the ministry of public enterprises was that the new board resolve the suspension of the then chief executive office of the parastatal, Sara Naanda.
The board members were at odds over how to deal with Naanda's exit – and exit package – but it reported that this matter was eventually amicably concluded.
Another bone of contention was the allegation that board chairperson Smit was micromanaging the parastatal and interfering in the day-to-day management.
Smit at the time justified his involvement as necessary due to the crisis the company was plunged into with Naanda's suspension and ultimate exit.
During its term the current board also suspended acting CEO Hippy Tjivikua and property manager Struggle Ihuhua. Ihuhua's contract with TransNamib had lapsed but Tjivikua's case, in which he is charged with fraud and collusion which allegedly put TransNamib out of pocket by at least N$20 million, is yet to be resolved.
The board chairperson and his deputy also fell out with the recently appointed TransNamib CEO, Johny Smit, over the handling of the Tjivikua case after the board appointed both the initiator and chairperson in Tjivikua's disciplinary process.
This circled out into a disagreement with new works minister John Mutorwa, whom the board accused of acting as the “de facto board” in that Mutorwa apparently exercised powers that fall within the purview of the board's authority because he allegedly endorsed and supported Johny Smith's refusal to accept instructions from the board.
Another disagreement between the CEO and the board erupted over the cancellation of a contract the board had entered into with AIJ Property Management to manage TransNamib's property portfolio.
CATHERINE SASMAN
The current board's term will end on 3 November. The deadline for submissions for new candidates is 24 September, after which shortlisted candidates will be interviewed.
All candidates must be professionally qualified Namibians, and a gender balance will be a consideration in the constitution of the new board, the ministry announced.
The term of the current board, chaired by Paul Smit and deputised by lawyer Elize Angula, started in November 2015 and was not without controversy.
One of the first directives from the works ministry as well as the ministry of public enterprises was that the new board resolve the suspension of the then chief executive office of the parastatal, Sara Naanda.
The board members were at odds over how to deal with Naanda's exit – and exit package – but it reported that this matter was eventually amicably concluded.
Another bone of contention was the allegation that board chairperson Smit was micromanaging the parastatal and interfering in the day-to-day management.
Smit at the time justified his involvement as necessary due to the crisis the company was plunged into with Naanda's suspension and ultimate exit.
During its term the current board also suspended acting CEO Hippy Tjivikua and property manager Struggle Ihuhua. Ihuhua's contract with TransNamib had lapsed but Tjivikua's case, in which he is charged with fraud and collusion which allegedly put TransNamib out of pocket by at least N$20 million, is yet to be resolved.
The board chairperson and his deputy also fell out with the recently appointed TransNamib CEO, Johny Smit, over the handling of the Tjivikua case after the board appointed both the initiator and chairperson in Tjivikua's disciplinary process.
This circled out into a disagreement with new works minister John Mutorwa, whom the board accused of acting as the “de facto board” in that Mutorwa apparently exercised powers that fall within the purview of the board's authority because he allegedly endorsed and supported Johny Smith's refusal to accept instructions from the board.
Another disagreement between the CEO and the board erupted over the cancellation of a contract the board had entered into with AIJ Property Management to manage TransNamib's property portfolio.
CATHERINE SASMAN
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article