Eveline de Klerk
Swakopmund
Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Bernard Esau has issued a directive to the new board of directors of the Namibia Maritime and Fisheries Training Institute (Namfi) to take charge of the institution’s affairs and not be controlled by management.
He feels taking charge of the management of the institution would enable the board to fulfill its mandate.
Esau expressed dismay at the state of some of the legal documents as well as performance agreements at the institution, saying they were in a messy state.
The minister also did not accept the financial records and other documents from Namfi as the documents were not signed off by the outgoing board members. It was also noted that some of the key documents were not complete whilst others are not in order.
“I cannot accept this,” he lashed out.
“It is not the way that we do things here. The board must come back and explain some of the documents and also handover all reports to the new board members, and only then will I be in a position to even comment on Namfi,” he said.
He implored the new board to ensure it is in complete control of the institution and that it performs without any excuses.
“You need to make sure that Namfi urgently work on a programme to fulfill its mandate under your guidance as people in charge. Avoid being controlled by management,” advised the fisheries minister.
The new board of trustees are unionist Connie Pandeni, who will chair the board, Lukas Kafuna, Chris Fikunawa, Sharon Neumbo, Aina Iipinge, Sezuni Sioka and Hilda Bone. Neumbo and Ipinge served on the previous board.
The board will serve for the next three years.
Namfi was formally established in July 1996 by the ministry of fisheries as a trust. The primary responsibility of the organization is to provide maritime and fisheries training in order to enable students to take up qualified positions within the maritime and fisheries industries in Namibia and elsewhere.