WINDHOEK- Some employees at the Katutura Youth Enterprise Centre (KAYEC) head office in Wanaheda have accused their director of allegedly ignoring trainees’ needs by not constructing a fully-fledged workshop.
The Millennium Challenge Account (MCA)-Namibia last year funded the project under a N$3 million grant agreement as part of the vocational education and skills training education project.
MCA-N funded 150 trainees under the N$3 million grant agreement with the KAYEC Trust.
The scholarship courses specialise trainees in construction, carpentry, shuttering and bricklaying skills and came with a 3-month job attachment.
Concerned staff who claim the current director, Nelson Prada, runs the centre in isolation without communicating also claim he is using the donated funds to build offices which were not part of the agreement.
“MCA-N gave the money for piloting purposes for trainees specialising in construction, carpentry, shuttering skills and bricklaying. The trainees used some money to buy uniforms and materials. Then there was a need to construct a workshop for them to learn. But the director decided to ignore their needs which breaches the donor funding agreement by building offices. We don’t need offices, we have a lot of offices,” bemoaned an instructor.
MCA-N operations came to an end in September and its activities are currently being winded down before it closes.
Further, the staff said MCA-N paid for engineers and architects already whereby the Windhoek Municipality also approved the plan to build the trainees’ workshop.
When staff approached the director on why the workshop never took off the ground, he allegedly told them the money was diverted to build offices.
“Now the students are not benefiting from the grant agreement anymore because there is no workshop for them to learn. Is the donor aware and do they know about the planned money transfer for others’ use? Was it in the agreement to transfer the money for offices rather than what the trainees need most?” one staff member wanted to know, with others in agreement.
However MCA-N project manager, Martin Wilkenson, yesterday confirmed to New Era the grant agreement to KAYEC was intended for trainees specialising in construction, carpentry, shuttering skills and bricklaying and came with a 3-month job attachment.
He explained the agreement does not define that the money should be used to build offices or a workshop.
“The materials and money were provided to the centre. We didn’t give money for specific needs but if the trainees found a need to build a workshop, then they can build it. We just provided a grant to trainees specialising in those skills,” he explained.
MCA-N’s overall objective under the vocational and training skills programme is to alleviate skills constraints to enterprise growth and productivity to ensure disadvantaged, vulnerable groups, school-leavers and adult learners acquire competencies needed for gainful employment and income-earning opportunities.
The workers also accused Prada of practising favouritism and lacking communication skills.
“KAYEC policies are changed daily in favour of individuals. Rules are amended to accommodate friends and colleagues. Favouritism takes place here whereby people are employed while vacancies are not advertised. Management meetings are held but no communication, how will the staff on the floor level know what has been decided? We have lost resourceful people due to frustration who resigned because of the current director,” they complained.
Prada allegedly threatens workers with legal action if they dare ask any questions.
“Is that his duty to run the centre through lawyers if staff members want clarity? There are always mini meetings. He keeps subordinates in the dark about future organisational plans. Our employment contracts are changed without our knowledge, is that not a crime?” they queried.
They said Prada who became a director in October 2012, in cahoots with the financial accountant Mervin Musambani changed the policy on their severance pay without the approval of the board of trustees.
However, Prada says KAYEC agreed with MCA-N to construct offices which will be turned into two workshops, two classes and a storeroom.
Regarding the allegations how he runs the company, without elaborating further Prada said, “We have structures in place. We have regular staff meetings where we communicate to them on the happenings and future plans of the organisation. Every month we have a staff meeting to communicate any decision taken at management level.”