Geingob keeps under-fire Mungunda on POBC

Geingob keeps under-fire Mungunda on POBC OGONE TLHAGE



WINDHOEK

Social Security Commission (SSC) CEO Milka Mungunda has been re-appointed to serve on the Public Office-Bearers Commission (POBC) by President Hage Geingob.

The commission is responsible for, among others, making recommendations on the remuneration and conditions of service of politicians.

“It is with pleasure that I hereby re-appoint you in terms of Section 2 (2) read together with Section 5 (2) of the Public Office Bearers Commissions Act with effect from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2024,” Geingob said in an appointment letter to Mungunda.

“While congratulating you on your appointment and wishing you success in carrying out your duties as stipulated by the Public Office Bearers Act, I would like to express my confidence and trust in your ability, commitment and fairness with which you will be expected to execute your duties and responsibilities,” he added.

Suspend her

The Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu) recently demanded Mungunda’s suspension from the SSC after her contract was renewed - despite her turning 61 this year.

“Napwu hereby requests the suspension of the staff members who were involved in various irregular practices to pave way for an unhindered investigation to get to the bottom of the happenings at the SSC,” the union’s secretary-general Peter Nevonga said at the time.

Napwu has raised concerns that SSC management is not running the entity well and has entered into several questionable arrangements, such as paying N$2.3 million in rental fees since October 2019 for a building the commission has not occupied to date.

SSC employees who were based at TransNamib Holdings’ offices in Windhoek’s CBD were supposed to occupy offices in a building owned by state news agency, Nampa. But the workers, who were meant to move in at the beginning of February, could not do so because the building did not meet the City of Windhoek’s health and safety regulations.