Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila was recently quoted saying: “If a person [worker] is overburdened with their private interests so that they cannot possibly really do justice to their work in the public service, and to the extent that they cannot be convinced to let go of some of these activities, then they should be prepared to make way for those who are committed to public service delivery (New Era, October 7, 2015).”
Will being a board member be considered as “private business?” It seems laws and lawmakers are confusing the public. The same OPM is where the Public Service Commission is based and they are the ones who authorise the appointment of civil servants to boards of directors.
To make matters worse, appointments to boards of SOEs are done by ministers. If I had the power I would ask the PM and the Public Service Commission to explain to the public as to how and why they allow public servants to serve on boards.
It can be argued that being a board member is a way to earn income. Why can’t unemployed people, or retirees with vast experience and ample time and energy, be considered for such opportunities?
Let’s test the water by allowing media houses to publish names of those board members. I was shocked to learn that some of my colleagues serve on so many boards, while they are fulltime in agencies, offices, and ministries of government.
Where do they get time to do all this work? In case of an employee, who works more than 5 days a week, the maximum daily working hours are 8 hours (Labour Act, Act No. 11 of 2007).” When ministers appoint their respective public servants to boards of directors, where and how do they base the logic on the Labour Act of 2007? With all humility, the PM should do what is right and correct the obvious hiccups in our governance systems.
Djaupyu Siteketa,
Windhoek