By:Kelvin Chiringa
The Namibia Investment Centre (NIC) former employees under the trade ministry have accused the Nangula-Uaandja-led Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) of unfair treatment.
The workers have since written to the President Hage Geingob through the executive director in the Office of the President.
The ex-employees said they were not shortlisted after the NIPDB advertised about eight positions for managers in April 2021.
According to them, Uaandja had promised that the positions would be advertised internally.
The aggrieved ex-employees have also lamented being left out in the cold despite most of them having relevant qualifications and experience.
“At the moment, the former Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade staff are the ones doing the bulk of the work and some are even training the managers that joined NIPDB.
“It has also come to light that most of the managers that were shortlisted and eventually offered the positions did not possess the qualifications which were stipulated in the job advertisements such as Master’s degrees at the time when they applied for such positions,” they said.
The workers have requested an audience with the Office of the President to seek clarity on these issues.
However, the Office of the President referred the workers to the Office of the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister has written to Uaandja asking her to provide feedback on the issues raised in the letter by the former NIC workers.
“I have requested the Secretary to Cabinet and the executive director: OPM, to interact with you in this regard.
“Please engage with them to facilitate that this office gets an update on the issue and to find a solution to the concerns raised by the concerned parties,” she instructed.
The ex-workers have requested an explanation in detail as to why none of the former trade ministry members based at the head office were not shortlisted.
“This must be done according to job descriptions which were advertised,” they demanded.
They requested for a recruitment evaluation of the shortlisted candidates and former trade ministry staff members for the recently advertised positions.
“We demand that this process should be done transparently and by a panel of independent individuals or any other relevant institution that is not NIPBD, to avoid the current unfair and favouritism practice,” they said.
They have also requested that everyone who was employed must be investigated against their current position and salary.
Uaandja’s phone was not picked when The Villager called for a response to a list of questions.
Meanwhile, the board has had a rough ride over the past few weeks and has been accused of Intellectual Property (IP) theft by two local entrepreneurs.
The investment board recently introduced the idea of a Namibian Retail Store code-named Ostora, a branded retail store which will stock Namibian made goods produced by SMEs.
However, two entrepreneurs, Ndeshimana Nghimwena and Rousa Shikoha, have now accused the board of stealing the idea from them.
NIPDB is yet to give an official response to questions sent to them on this issue.
