While health executive director Ben Nangombe dismissed claims that emergency workers have decided to not work beyond normal working hours due to nonpayment of their overtime claims, reports from the ground, however, paint a different picture.
In fact, Nangombe was yesterday adamant that no emergency personnel in the Otjozondjupa region refused to work after 17h00 as of Monday. An irate Nangombe insisted on a ‘retraction’ of New Era’s story, ‘No overtime irks emergency workers’, published on Monday.
In the story, this paper reported that residents of the Otjozondjupa region, who might have needed emergency services after 17h00 from Monday, have been left to fend for themselves, as ambulance drivers stopped working overtime after 17h00. Emergency Care Practitioners (ECPs) and the drivers within the Grootfontein district are aggrieved by the nonpayment of their overtime.
Nangombe took issue with the report, saying it is “false, incorrect” and “there is no such thing. There is no stoppage”. He said the report is dangerous, as it might encourage the public to rely on alternative arrangements, such as taxis, in emergencies.
On a question of how the ministry is dealing with the complaints, Nangombe said the workers’ grievances are being dealt with, but that “it is immaterial”.
Staff members New Era spoke to yesterday confirmed the publication’s story, saying they have resorted to working from 08h00 to 17h00, while others said they signed in for the night shift, but “never touched any government vehicles or responded to any emergencies. I was just doing my hours”. Meanwhile, a meeting by the region’s health leadership in Otjiwarongo resolved to find a solution for payment in the regional budget. Yesterday, regional health director Gebhardo Timotheus said, “we have digested the issue of our people. We have come up with a possible solution to look at our budget as a region to see where we could get some funds that we can use to pay our people’s overtime. We are referring to the hours already worked”.
He said payments would be made strictly on already authorised hours, pending approval from the ED.
Timotheus said he would visit the different districts later this week to talk to workers.
He pleaded with them to be patient and applauded workers who “did not go on strike”. Workers, however, said even though they are not going on strike, they have decided not to work overtime.
Timotheus said he did not get any reports of emergency calls being ignored. Workers yesterday said they were encouraged by the meeting and eagerly await the resolutions.
Reacting to the report yesterday, the Public Service Union of Namibia (PSUN) in a press statement said they have been pleading with the ministry to honour its obligations – to pay the workers their overtime since last year.
“The office of the executive director has ignored our numerous communication in this regard, and we had to register the matter along with others with the office of the Prime Minister,” the union said.
They said they stand with the aggrieved workers and urged the ministry to address the matter urgently.
The PSUN said the ministry is risking the lives of Namibian citizens “with its demonstrated incompetence”.
The Union added “it clearly has a planning deficit of critical proportions, and this is highly irresponsible, given the resources at their disposal”, stressing that the ED’s office is fully aware of the issues.
“The ministry will continue to wash its dirty linen in public. They will continue to solve problems under pressure until they learn to rectify problems as soon as they are reported,” continued the media statement.
They called on the Prime Minister’s office and Presidency “to call the ministry to order and rescue the workers. The ministry is part of the executive branch of government and should be at the forefront of observing International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards as well as the Namibian Labour Act, as its behaviour is embarrassing government and gives a wrong example to other employers in the country.