Dust hasn’t settled in NBC DG dispute

THE dust is far from settled around the future of the acting Director General of the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, Matthew //Gowaseb, with sources saying the issue was even discussed by Prime Minister Nahas Angula and some senior Government officials yesterday.

Sources said Angula intervened and was going to discuss the troubled national broadcaster’s problems with President Hifikepunye Pohamba.Pohamba returns from Mozambique today.Angula flatly denied any involvement in the NBC issue, calling the reports ‘totally untrue’.He said he held a meeting at his office yesterday with several ministers but on a totally different matter.His meeting with Pohamba today also had nothing to do with the NBC saga, Angula told The Namibian. The latest developments came as the upper circles of Government and Swapo remain divided as to what to do with the national broadcaster’s Director General position.The Namibian understands that there was lobbying and counter-lobbying at the top.Some, including Information Minister Joel Kaapanda, would like to see //Gowaseb stay and be appointed to the post permanently.A Government source told The Namibian that //Gowaseb was likely to be offered to stay on the job.Whether he would accept the offer remains one of the focal points of the debate. Kaapanda yesterday refused to entertain any questions related to the NBC at a media conference. //Gowaseb referred The Namibian to the NBC board and the Ministry.Meanwhile, staff at NBC also remain divided on the issue.One group hinted about a strike should //Gowaseb not be appointed while others want the job advertised for transparency’s sake.A local weekly yesterday reported that Oshana Governor Clemens Kashuupulwa, NBC board Chairperson Frieda Shimbuli and Namibia Today Editor Asser Ntinda have all expressed interest in the DG post.