T
he Namibia Sports Commission (NSC), which was established to oversee and implement the objectives of increased participation in organised sports, continued sporting success on the international front and ensuring the sustained realisation of a cohesive and effective sports sector, has now become a wandering institution subjected to all sorts of mockery.
Some weeks ago, this publication and others reported the suspension of senior managers at the NSC over alleged fraud, forgery and administrative irregularities, amongst other serious violations.
As we speak, the head of the NSC, Freddy Mwiya, is fighting tooth and nail with the sports ministry in the courts to have his employment contract extended for another five years.
What that essentially means is that a sizable number of senior employees that are expected to be overseeing and implementing the various developmental programmes and policy direction of the NSC are either on suspension or busy fighting for their personal interests, and not busy addressing the common good of the local sports fraternity.
In all honesty, the NSC has lost focus and no longer serves its intended purpose of ensuring effective governance and administration of sports federations, monitoring compliance with the Sports Act by all, and serving as an advisory body to the line ministry on sport-related matters.
In fact, the NSC behaves and acts as a somewhat rival entity to the sports ministry and no longer as an implementation agency of the line ministry. The commission’s leadership appears to be on a mission of self-gratification and self-enrichment at the expense of the athletes and the suffering federations.
Namibia is currently faced with an underfunded and poorly administered sports sector, whose ailing fortunes are further compounded by unqualified, demotivated and inadequately trained coaches and administrators. It is, as expected, the role of the NSC to address all these shortcomings.
But to the contrary, and disappointingly so, the NSC has in turn chosen a path of self-destruction through endless fights with the minister/ministry, lack of accountability and theft as per recent media reports.
Truth be told, the NSC’s role has now sadly downgraded to a point where its relevance is solely dependent on hosting the annual sports awards show, staging the ever-poorly organised National Youth Games and dishing out national colours to the various national teams travelling abroad for competitions.
I say the time is now ripe for sports minister Agnes Tjongarero and the NSC’s board of commissioners to nip the devil in the bud and restore some faith in the NSC. The rot and self-enrichment schemes that have been taking place under wraps at the commission for years need to be stopped.
It will not be an easy task as those currently at the NSC will also be prepared to fight back. But with enough vigour and determination, it is possible for Tjongarero and the board of commissioners to rescue the NSC from the jaws of demise.
Just like any other government or public entity, the NSC is funded with taxpayers’ money and should thus be accountable to the people. There’s nothing special about the NSC that should stop Tjongarero or the NSC’s board of commissioners from freely going about their business.
Until next time, sharp sharp!!