By William Mbangula
OSHAKATI
The regional head of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare (MGECW) in the Oshana Region, Anna Panduleni Kuwa Ashikoto, committed suicide yesterday.
Police spokesperson in the Oshana Region, Constable Christina Fonsech, confirmed the suicide.
It is alleged that 47-year-old Ashikoto, who was originally from the Onayena Constituency in the Oshikoto Region, hanged herself in her bedroom at the Ongwediva Elcin Flats where she was staying.
A public servant since 1991, she was also a Returning Officer during elections on a number of occasions in the Oshikoto Region.
The Director of Community and Early Childhood Development, Eline Nghiitwikwa, said her Ministry has suffered a great loss following the death of Ashikoto.
Nghiitwikwa said: “She was a friendly, dependable and hardworking person who always completed her assignments on time.
Her input and interventions have always been constructive which were geared towards taking our Ministry in particular and Oshana region in general to greater heights.
According to Nghiitwikwa the deceased, who had the rank of Chief Community Liaison Officer, was last at work on Thursday, April 5.
Her colleagues became suspicious on Tuesday when she did not report for duty. As a result, they kept calling her cell phone and sent messages because it was not her habit to miss work and keep incommunicado.
Ashikoto is survived by her newly-wed husband, Paulus Ashikoto – they were married in December last year – and two children.