Naomab wants ACC probe against him deferred
Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) vice-chancellor Dr Erold Naomab has asked the chairperson of the university council, Leake Hangala, to postpone discussions on the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) letter calling for a forensic probe against him.
Last month, the ACC requested the NUST council conduct a forensic probe into allegations of misuse of public funds, nepotism, tribalism and abuse of power levelled against Naomab.
However, according to a confidential memorandum dated 8 August 2023, Naomab submitted a request that the council defer the discussion of the ACC request to the next council meeting.
"The request is premised on giving the council enough time to receive all the supporting documents. The vice-chancellor as well as the registrar bear no knowledge of the Anti-Corruption Commission letters and its content," the memorandum, signed by Naomab, stated.
Hangala this week refused to comment, saying: "I don’t want to discuss council issues in the newspapers."
Agenda issues
ACC director Paulus Noa said the response he received from the former council chair, Florette Nakusera, was that she would ensure that the matter be presented as part of all outstanding issues handed over to the interim council.
"If Professor Naomab is now asking for postponement, the question to ask is how did it get on the agenda? That means it has been handed to the new council. Somewhere someone is in possession of that letter, that is why it is on the agenda. So, what is he (Naomab) going to discuss next if he has no knowledge of the letter? If a person’s tenure (council chair) ends, they do not go with documents; they leave it at the institution," said Noa.
Allegations surfaced
The NUST leadership has been at loggerheads with the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu), which has been calling for an urgent intervention by higher authorities into the affairs of the public university after damning allegations of corruption, abuse of power and nepotism surfaced.
In a letter addressed to Nakusera in March, Napwu general secretary Petrus Nevonga raises the alarm on a multitude of allegations.
The letter was a result of consultative meetings the union held with staff members in February. Concerns raised by disgruntled employees primarily focus on the blatant disregard of the Labour Act, the NUST human resource code, and principles of good governance, New Era reported at the time.
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Last month, the ACC requested the NUST council conduct a forensic probe into allegations of misuse of public funds, nepotism, tribalism and abuse of power levelled against Naomab.
However, according to a confidential memorandum dated 8 August 2023, Naomab submitted a request that the council defer the discussion of the ACC request to the next council meeting.
"The request is premised on giving the council enough time to receive all the supporting documents. The vice-chancellor as well as the registrar bear no knowledge of the Anti-Corruption Commission letters and its content," the memorandum, signed by Naomab, stated.
Hangala this week refused to comment, saying: "I don’t want to discuss council issues in the newspapers."
Agenda issues
ACC director Paulus Noa said the response he received from the former council chair, Florette Nakusera, was that she would ensure that the matter be presented as part of all outstanding issues handed over to the interim council.
"If Professor Naomab is now asking for postponement, the question to ask is how did it get on the agenda? That means it has been handed to the new council. Somewhere someone is in possession of that letter, that is why it is on the agenda. So, what is he (Naomab) going to discuss next if he has no knowledge of the letter? If a person’s tenure (council chair) ends, they do not go with documents; they leave it at the institution," said Noa.
Allegations surfaced
The NUST leadership has been at loggerheads with the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu), which has been calling for an urgent intervention by higher authorities into the affairs of the public university after damning allegations of corruption, abuse of power and nepotism surfaced.
In a letter addressed to Nakusera in March, Napwu general secretary Petrus Nevonga raises the alarm on a multitude of allegations.
The letter was a result of consultative meetings the union held with staff members in February. Concerns raised by disgruntled employees primarily focus on the blatant disregard of the Labour Act, the NUST human resource code, and principles of good governance, New Era reported at the time.
[email protected]
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