Naomab gets his way with new procurement committee
Staff members oppose appointments
Concerned staff members have called the committee's appointment "an opportunity for Naomab to further loot the university's scarce resources".
The Namibia University of Science and Technology’s (NUST) vice-chancellor Erold Naomab has appointed the university’s procurement committee, amid claims that he hand-picked individuals - including his special advisor - in order to have greater control over the institution’s procurement affairs.
Several staff members opposed the appointment of the majority of the committee members. They even went as far as roping in the finance ministry in a bid to stop the process.
In a memo dated 18 July, seen by Namibian Sun, Naomab informed staff members of the appointments.
The committee members are deputy vice-chancellor of administration and finance Meriam Dikuua, who will serve as committee chair and will be deputised by Naomab’s special advisor Klemens Awarab, assistant bursar Maria Ugulu, Browny Mutrifa, Pilisano Masake, Professor Omotayo Awofolu and Rosemary Tjombonde-Kakuui.
The decision to include Dikuua in the committee has been flagged, given her position at the institution and that she reports directly to Naomab.
Looting resources
Namibian Sun last week reported about a letter by concerned staff members to the finance ministry, which said the committee’s appointment is allegedly “an opportunity for the vice-chancellor to further loot the scarce resources of the university”.
At the time, Francois Brand – head of the ministry’s procurement policy unit - said it appointed two directorates to look into two claims – one regarding internal structures and the second regarding procurement.
It remains unclear what this investigation has established as Brand last Friday only confirmed that he is aware of the appointments and that discussions were held with the NUST leadership.
Meanwhile, Namibian Sun has uncovered that - in a letter dated 17 July - Brand granted Naomab authorisation to proceed with the appointment of his nominated committee members, adding that the committee’s term would run for a period no longer than three years.
“The procurement policy unit is hereby informing your public entity to comply with the directive issued on 22 January 2021 on amendments to internal organisational structures,” Brand wrote.
It is not clear what the directive stipulated. Questions to the ministry on the matter went unanswered.
Last kicks of a dying horse
NUST spokesperson John Haufiku confirmed the appointments, saying “the vice-chancellor appoints the members, and the ministry of finance and public enterprises gives the final approval. This has been completed”.
He added that NUST “is unaware of any investigations about this process. The assertions in the anonymous letters are devoid of any truth”.
“However, if anyone believes the vice-chancellor is appointing his ‘friends or associates’, they best find a way to prove that these so-called private relationships exist,” he said.
“Having so far failed to provide any credible or actionable information about any wrongdoing by the current vice-chancellor and management, the author(s) of these anonymous letters have clearly become desperate.
“This recent attempt is therefore nothing but the last kicks of a dying horse,” Haufiku said.
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Several staff members opposed the appointment of the majority of the committee members. They even went as far as roping in the finance ministry in a bid to stop the process.
In a memo dated 18 July, seen by Namibian Sun, Naomab informed staff members of the appointments.
The committee members are deputy vice-chancellor of administration and finance Meriam Dikuua, who will serve as committee chair and will be deputised by Naomab’s special advisor Klemens Awarab, assistant bursar Maria Ugulu, Browny Mutrifa, Pilisano Masake, Professor Omotayo Awofolu and Rosemary Tjombonde-Kakuui.
The decision to include Dikuua in the committee has been flagged, given her position at the institution and that she reports directly to Naomab.
Looting resources
Namibian Sun last week reported about a letter by concerned staff members to the finance ministry, which said the committee’s appointment is allegedly “an opportunity for the vice-chancellor to further loot the scarce resources of the university”.
At the time, Francois Brand – head of the ministry’s procurement policy unit - said it appointed two directorates to look into two claims – one regarding internal structures and the second regarding procurement.
It remains unclear what this investigation has established as Brand last Friday only confirmed that he is aware of the appointments and that discussions were held with the NUST leadership.
Meanwhile, Namibian Sun has uncovered that - in a letter dated 17 July - Brand granted Naomab authorisation to proceed with the appointment of his nominated committee members, adding that the committee’s term would run for a period no longer than three years.
“The procurement policy unit is hereby informing your public entity to comply with the directive issued on 22 January 2021 on amendments to internal organisational structures,” Brand wrote.
It is not clear what the directive stipulated. Questions to the ministry on the matter went unanswered.
Last kicks of a dying horse
NUST spokesperson John Haufiku confirmed the appointments, saying “the vice-chancellor appoints the members, and the ministry of finance and public enterprises gives the final approval. This has been completed”.
He added that NUST “is unaware of any investigations about this process. The assertions in the anonymous letters are devoid of any truth”.
“However, if anyone believes the vice-chancellor is appointing his ‘friends or associates’, they best find a way to prove that these so-called private relationships exist,” he said.
“Having so far failed to provide any credible or actionable information about any wrongdoing by the current vice-chancellor and management, the author(s) of these anonymous letters have clearly become desperate.
“This recent attempt is therefore nothing but the last kicks of a dying horse,” Haufiku said.
[email protected]
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