Observer Money – Page 192

13 Apr

NHE board calls for crisis meeting

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyGisbertus Mukulu, National Housing Enterprise (NHE), Sam Shivute

Maria Hamutenya and Andrew Kathindi The National Housing Enterprise (NHE) Board has scheduled a crisis meeting with the organisation’s managers following the surfacing of a damning letter where they accused Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gisbertus Mukulu, of incompetence. In the letter, company management stated that the employment contract of the CEO must not be renewed when it ends on 30 June, pointing out that since the appointment of Makulu as CEO, the NHE failed to achieve two critical objectives of its strategic plan, growing the loan book and building 1250 houses annually. According to the approved NHE strategic plan 2017-2022…

13 Apr

Hatuikulipi, Shanghala plead privacy over smuggled cell phones

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyJames Hatuikulipi, Sacky Shanghala

Andrew Kathindi The Fishrot accused James Hatuikulipi and former Justice Minister, Sacky Shanghala who were caught with smuggled phones two weeks ago at Windhoek Central, are stating that the gadgets were required to avoid their conversations being recorded by the correctional services’ recording system. Although it is unknown for how long the two have had the mobile phones, they were found in possession of two devices following a search of their cells after a report had been lodged by prison officers of suspicious activity by the two. “During the interviews with them, what they indicated is that they were using…

09 Apr

COVID saves Govt millions in S&T

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCovid-19, Government, Ministry of Finance Spokesperson, Tonateni Shidhudhu

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri The restrictions on travel due to COVID-19 have saved government N$105.7 million in travel allowances. According to Ministry of Finance Spokesperson, Tonateni Shidhudhu, a 34.06 percent cost saving was achieved in 2020/2021 compared to the last financial year’s (2019/2020) expenditure. He added that a 56.81 percent saving had been achieved for the Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) compared to the last financial year. Shidhudhu said only 51.33 percent was spent, of which DSA gobbled up over N$105 million for the period April 2021 to December 2021, compared to the N$243,1 million ,of which 78.4 percent was spent from the…

09 Apr

Geingob removes Vilho as MP

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyFormer Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister, Parliament, Peter Vilho, president Hage Geingob

Rose-Mary Haufiku Former Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister, Peter Vilho, has been withdrawn as a Member of Parliament (MP) by President Hage Geingob as a presidential nominee. The withdrawal of Vilho comes after Geingob on Thursday wrote a letter to Parliament informing it of his decision. The development comes after Vilho resigned his position as Defence Minister on Tuesday after an afternoon-long meeting with the President, after having been summoned. National Assembly Spokesperson, David Nahogandja, confirmed the development, stating that Parliament had received the letter informing it of the President’s decision. The withdrawal of Vilho creates room for the President…

08 Apr

SSC board discarded succession plan

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyMilka Mungunda, Social Security Commisison (SSC)

Andrew Kathindi and Kandjemuni Kamuiiri The Social Security Commisison (SSC) Board has revealed that it discarded its own succession plan and never considered any other potential candidates. This was before renewing the contract of Executive Officer, Milka Mungunda, for another five years. The appointment is despite Mungunda having turned 61 in February this year. According to SSC Board Chairperson, Dr Dawid /Uirab, it received and reviewed formally a draft Succession Plans for the role of the EO, but opted to stick with Mungunda instead, who will be 66 at the end of her contract, which expires in 2026. "The Commission…

08 Apr

NamRA launches officially …as 20 Finance Ministry staff refuse to join

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyDepartment of Inland Revenue and Customs Excise Directorate, Namibia Revenue Agency, NamRA

Andrew Kathindi Twenty employees from the Department of Inland Revenue and Customs Excise Directorate have indicated that they do not want to move to the newly formed tax collection agency, the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA). This was revealed by Finance Ministry Spokesperson Tonateni Shidhushu. The 20 employees who have not given their consent to be transferred to NamRA are part of 1400 other staff members from the department in the Ministry of Finance. All the employees were handed letters of intent to sign on whether they agree to or not to transfer to the newly formed government enterprise. "We will…

08 Apr

Amutenya freed with state withdrawing charges

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyKristofina Amutenya, Windhoek Magistrate's Court

Maria Hamutenya Addis Ababa murder accused, Kristofina Amutenya, was on Wednesday freed after the state provisionally withdrew charges against the former spouse of a diplomat. The charges were withdrawn in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court after Magistrate Alweendo Venatius was informed in a letter from the Office of the Government Attorney that the withdrawal had been agreed with Amutenya's lawyer, Kadhila Amoomo. Amoomo challenged the Namibian authorities’ decision to arrest and charge Amutenya with two counts of murder, and one of attempted murder upon her arrival from Addis Ababa. Amoomo claimed that she (Amutenya) was not presented with any documents or…

07 Apr

Addis murder suspect appears in court

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyKristofina Amutenya, Windhoek Magistrate's Court

Maria Hamutenya Kristofina Amutenya (33) made her first appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court on Tuesday. H owever, Magistrate Venatius Alweendo postponed the matter to Wednesday pending an urgent High Court application filed by her lawyers. Lawyer Kadhila Amoomo, who is representing the murder accused, has challenged the decision of the Namibian authorities to arrest and charge Amutenya with two counts of murder, and one count of attempted murder upon her arrival from Addis Ababa on Monday. Amoomo has filed for an urgent application in the High Court to ask for her arrest and detention in Namibia to be declared…

07 Apr

Defence Minister resigns . . . as ACC maintains it won’t investigate

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyMinister of Defence and Veterans Affairs, Peter Vilho

Andrew Kathindi and Rose-Mary Haufiku Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs, Peter Vilho, has resigned, following his afternoon-long meeting with President Hage Geingob on Tuesday, the Presidency has announced. Geingob summoned Vilho to State House to explain himself following allegations of illicit proceeds in an undeclared Hong Kong bank account. Vilho served as minister for a year and a month, after he was appointed by Geingob in March 2020. His tenure at the ministry was, however, riddled with corruption allegations. According to the Presidency, Vilho informed the President that his continued membership of the Executive was “untenable” and the “ongoing…

01 Apr

BoN declares N$278m dividend

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyBank of Namibia, Covid-19

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri The Bank of Namibia on Wednesday declared a N$278.2 million dividend for the 2020 financial year to the State Revenue Fund, lower than the N$399 million declared prior year. This comes as the apex bank declared a N$532 million surplus for the period under review. “The financial performance of the Bank in 2020 was negatively impacted by low interest rates in the global markets as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; nonetheless the Bank still recorded a notable surplus albeit lower in comparison with 2019. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the year 2020 was characterised by…