Nuusita Ashipala
ONGWEDIVA – The Public Service Commission has turned down the application by Ndahangwapo Kashihakumwa to run a security training institution while he is employed by the government as the head of the anti-poaching unit Wildlife Protection Service.
Kashihakumwa, who was the police regional commander of Oshana Region, left the police and later started his own security training academy, Tobias Hainyeko Security Guards Training Academy. However, last year the government appointed him on a contract to head the newly created anti-poaching unit in the ambit of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. He wanted to run the anti-poaching unit while also managing his security training academy but says his application to the Public Service Commission to run the academy on the side was turned down.
He says operations at the academy came to a halt because of that. Kashihakumwa concurred with trainees’ sentiments that the academy has been too slow to integrate the first cohorts into jobs. He said the first trainees still have pending one more module to complete before they can graduate.
The first intake was already trained last year November, but they are yet to be employed.
“A new leadership was put in place and the academy is expected to be running soon,” said Kashihakumwa.
According to Kashihakumwa, the academy has ventured into agreements with a number of companies to take in the trainees upon completion of their training.
“Those agreements are still in place and would be effected soon. Our trainees should expect to be called soon,” Kashihakumwa assured.
Trainees complained that little to no information was coming from the academy for them to ascertain the way forward. They claim they had spent close to N$3,000 to undergo training, hence needed to recover their money.
“Some of us borrowed money for the training and we were hoping to be employed now to repay our debt,” said one of the trainees.
Kashihakumwa at the establishment of the academy said the academy would train and screen security guards for private security companies.
He said the training would help companies employ reliable and reputable personnel who will create a good image for such companies.