Agribank CEO sits tight

THE Chief Executive Officer of Agribank is reportedly defying a decision not to renew his contract, telling the parastatal’s board directors he will only take orders from State House.

Tjeripo Hijarunguru’s term of office ended on December 31, but he was back in office this week, signing documents and going about the usual administration business he has done for more than six years. “It is complete confusion.That is the only way to describe it,” an employee of the State-owned Agricultural Bank of Namibia said yesterday.The Namibian has reliably learnt that the directors approved an exit package for Hijarunguru in December.The board had also appointed the senior manager for loans, George Katjiuongua, as acting CEO.Katjiuongua reportedly accepted the offer.He went on leave before Christmas and returned this week – the same time as Hijarunguru’s holiday period ended.Both Hijarunguru and Katjiuongua declined to comment yesterday.Hijarunguru said he would not respond to reports that he had refused to negotiate his exit pay with the board.He said he would respond only after the bank’s Chairman, Dr Franz Stellmacher, had commented.Stellmacher was said to be at his farm and out of telephone range yesterday.Other board members declined to comment.Agribank insiders said Hijarunguru has questioned the legitimacy of the board’s decision not to extend his contract.He allegedly argued that he was not appointed by the board but by State House, and that the resignation of two directors and the absence of another director, Moureen Hinda, meant there was no quorum to take a decision on his future.Agribank has five directors.Hijarunguru’s contract was extended three times last year after the search for a CEO was aborted on one occasion amid heavy political lobbying from some of the candidates for the job.Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Calle Schlettwein, said yesterday he was not aware of the current confusion about who was heading the bank.He said, however, the Agribank board had already submitted the names of three possible CEOs to the Ministers of Finance and Agriculture for approval.The matter is still to be discussed in Cabinet before it returns to the board for the appointment to be confirmed.One middle manager said yesterday that the staff were “demoralised” by the confusion over who was the bank’s chief administrator.”The board has not even addressed the staff for us to know what is happening,” the manager said.Minister of Finance Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila was unable to comment about the situation at Agribank yesterday but an aide said she would reply today to questions sent to her office yesterday.”It is complete confusion. That is the only way to describe it,” an employee of the State-owned Agricultural Bank of Namibia said yesterday. The Namibian has reliably learnt that the directors approved an exit package for Hijarunguru in December. The board had also appointed the senior manager for loans, George Katjiuongua, as acting CEO. Katjiuongua reportedly accepted the offer. He went on leave before Christmas and returned this week – the same time as Hijarunguru’s holiday period ended. Both Hijarunguru and Katjiuongua declined to comment yesterday. Hijarunguru said he would not respond to reports that he had refused to negotiate his exit pay with the board. He said he would respond only after the bank’s Chairman, Dr Franz Stellmacher, had commented. Stellmacher was said to be at his farm and out of telephone range yesterday. Other board members declined to comment. Agribank insiders said Hijarunguru has questioned the legitimacy of the board’s decision not to extend his contract. He allegedly argued that he was not appointed by the board but by State House, and that the resignation of two directors and the absence of another director, Moureen Hinda, meant there was no quorum to take a decision on his future. Agribank has five directors. Hijarunguru’s contract was extended three times last year after the search for a CEO was aborted on one occasion amid heavy political lobbying from some of the candidates for the job. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Calle Schlettwein, said yesterday he was not aware of the current confusion about who was heading the bank. He said, however, the Agribank board had already submitted the names of three possible CEOs to the Ministers of Finance and Agriculture for approval. The matter is still to be discussed in Cabinet before it returns to the board for the appointment to be confirmed. One middle manager said yesterday that the staff were “demoralised” by the confusion over who was the bank’s chief administrator. “The board has not even addressed the staff for us to know what is happening,” the manager said. Minister of Finance Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila was unable to comment about the situation at Agribank yesterday but an aide said she would reply today to questions sent to her office yesterday.