Gaomab set to lead NIDA

Gaomab set to lead NIDA OGONE TLHAGE



WINDHOEK

Former African Development Bank (AfDB) executive director and founding CEO of the Namibia Competition Commission, Mihe Gaomab II, is set to take the reins at the Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA) as its new CEO.

He becomes the agency’s first full-time CEO since its establishment in 2018, following the merger of the Namibia Development Corporation (NDC) and the Offshore Development Company (ODC).

Public enterprises minister Leon Jooste confirmed Gaomab’s appointment.

“We are in 100% agreement with the [NIDA] board,” Jooste said.

Gaomab’s appointment was done without consideration to psychometric evaluations conducted on the final three candidates shortlisted, Namibian Sun established.

Jooste confirmed this, but gave no explanation why.

Jack of all trades

Gaomab currently serves as the chairperson of the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN). His other appointments include serving as the chairperson of the embattled public entity Fishcor.

He also serves as a non-executive director on the board of banking group Capricorn.

Jooste said Gaomab will be required to resign from the boards of the public enterprises he serves on.

Among the final three candidates shortlisted for the position, Gaomab attained 231 points, placing him above ministry of industrialisation official Michael Humavindu who got 229.5 and Namwater executive Eino Mvula who managed 214.5.

Gaomab replaces Uparura Kuvare, who served as interim NIDA head while also serving on the company’s founding board.

Kuvare was removed with NIDA’s other board members, which include lawyer Frans Kwala, unionist Job Muniaro, Diana van Schalkwyk and Koos van Staden.

Namibian Sun reported in 2019 that the agency’s assets amounted to N$2 billion.