Nuusita Ashipala

ONGWEDIVA - In a quest to increase the percentage of skilled and competent women in the cockpit and in police management, the Inspector General of the Namibian Police promoted three women in the Air Wing directorate.

Inspector general Sebastian Ndeitunga promoted Florentina Raquel Ndumbu to the rank of commissioner, and she is now heading the Air Wing directorate. Ndumbu becomes the first woman to oversee the directorate’s day-to-day operations.

She replaces commissioner Flip Blaauw, who went on retirement after 41 years of police service. Geogrette Mekaranai Mieze was appointed as the head of the aviation, auxiliary service and aircrew training management division.

She is promoted from a rank of chief inspector to deputy commissioner. Inspector Ndiwaana Lovisa Lukas was also promoted to head the auxiliary service with a rank of chief inspector.

A statement issued by the police says incoming air wing commander Ndumbu joined the Force in 2010 as a commercial pilot. Head of the police’s public relations department Kauna Shikwambi said Ndumbu dedicated herself to provide services to the community. “Ndumbu dedicated herself to professional and efficient airborne law enforcement services to the community in general and the Namibian Police in particular in support of the Force’s crime combating strategy,” she added.

Shikwambi said in bidding farewell to Blaauw, they would remember him as a patriotic individual who played a significant role in the establishment of the police’s Air Wing directorate.

“He served with utmost commitment and loyalty, and paved the way by mentoring and preparing his 17 staff members, who are qualified pilots, engineers and mechanics,” the spokesperson noted.

nashipala@nepc.com.na