Windhoek
The deputy permanent secretary of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Hannu Shipena, has now been elevated to the position of a fully-fledged permanent secretary (PS) of the ACC, thus becoming the first person to hold the post at the graft-busting agency.
Confirming his appointment ACC director-general Paulus Noa said Shipena is expected to commence work in his new role as PS on Monday. Recent amendments to the ACC Act signed into law by President Hage Geingob created the position of PS for the Commission, a move aimed at giving the leadership of the institution greater executing powers that will allow the ACC to carry out its mandate more effectively.
It is par for the course that Shipena will need a personal assistant, office space and equipment, as well as resources to fulfill their duties – at considerable cost to the state. Although the post will cost taxpayers at least N$800 000 annually, Noa earlier maintained that the Commission is growing and needs an accounting officer to run the administrative side of things.
The appointment comes at a time when President Geingob has taken on stringent commitments to cut costs and state expenditure.
Critics have also argued that the ACC – as an independent body – does not need a PS, who reports to the secretary to Cabinet, thus bringing into question the autonomy of the ACC and its capacity to go after those involved in high-level corruption in government. However, Noa says the ACC is expanding to all regions of the country and cannot function effectively without an accounting officer.