Auleria Wakudumo
The National Collaborative Board of Namibia (NCBN) has reinstated its president Ingashipola Lucas, chairperson Rebecca Cornelius and financial director Agnes Paul, months after the trio was suspended over allegations of financial mismanagement.
The board serves as a network for community radio stations and broadcasters in Namibia.
It aims to empower local communities by providing a platform for them to express their voices, share information, and address local issues through radio broadcasting.
It facilitates collaboration, knowledge sharing and capacity building among its members, promoting democratic participation and cultural diversity in the country.
In a statement issued this week, the NCBN Board Council announced that the three youth leaders will officially resume duties on 15 May 2026.
This follows the conclusion of investigations conducted by the organisation’s Ethics and Disciplinary Committee.
The three leaders were suspended on 17 October 2025 after allegations surfaced relating to the alleged misuse of organisational funds and questions surrounding a Bangladesh youth summit attended earlier that year.
Their suspension also resulted in the termination of their monthly allowances pending investigations.
“The investigations were conducted thoroughly, fairly and in accordance with the organisation’s disciplinary procedures,” the statement reads.
It added that, after considering the findings and recommendations of the committee, it was satisfied that the matter had been adequately addressed, paving the way for the reinstatement of the three offic As part of the resolution, the organisation announced that each leader will receive N$25 000 in outstanding allowances covering the period from November 2025 to April 2026.
The board further called on members and stakeholders to remain united and continue supporting the organisation’s mission of youth empowerment.
The reinstatement marks a dramatic turnaround in a saga that rocked the youth organisation for months and led to the resignation of Lucas late last year.
Lucas resigned from his position as NCBN president in December 2025.
He claimed that he had been subjected to unfair treatment, procedural injustice and unlawful deductions to his allowance during the disciplinary process. At the time, Lucas told New Era that his resignation was not an admission of guilt.
“My resignation is in no way an admission of guilt, but a response to unjust and unfair treatment by members of the organisation’s leadership,” he said. He further alleged that, despite an investigation being promised within 14 days after his suspension, he was never given an opportunity to formally defend himself before stepping down.
The controversy centred around allegations that Lucas, Cornelius and Paul had received N$35 000 each to attend a youth summit in Bangladesh in January 2025, but were allegedly seen in Windhoek during the same period.
Questions were also raised over the absence of photographs from the summit.
Lucas strongly denied the allegations at the time.
He maintained that the funds were used for flights and accommodation in line with travel arrangements. He also stated that he and his co-accused were working to obtain official confirmation from summit organisers to prove their innocence.