Graftbusters now ready for action

THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is set to start operating in January, with President Hifikepunye Pohamba expected to inaugurate the corruption-busting agency by the end of next month.

Prime Minister Nahas Angula told The Namibian in an interview this week that those co-ordinating the establishment of the commission were busy securing office space and putting together a small budget. The appointment of Director Paulus Noa and his deputy, Erna van der Merwe, was endorsed by Parliament in October and they are expected to assume duty on January 1.”With the ACC in place now, people have an institution where they can go and blow the whistle.They will investigate matters and issues so that people become honest, or at least careful.”You should not do something wrong with your life to be discovered and shamed publicly,” said Angula.The Anti-Corruption Commission will start its work on a shoestring budget of N$2,5 million until the new National Budget is presented in April.The directors will have free rein to decide whether it will employ staff to carry out its work or hire external services.”I hope they are not going to put up a big bureaucracy and become just another Government bureaucracy.I hope that they will put up some kind of a structure and source services from agencies,” said Angula.He said he viewed the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Commission as one of Government’s efforts to promote transparency.The Anti-Corruption Commission Act was passed in 2003, but not until Angula took office as Prime Minister did it become law.In October, Angula told Parliament that an interviewing panel did not find the majority of applicants suitable to take on the task of heading the commission, but that after the shortlisted candidates were ranked by the panel the President decided to nominate Noa and Van der Merwe.”Corruption did not start in 2005, [but] the uncovering of corrupt activities this year can go down in history as one of the issues which have been unravelled, which is good,” said Angula.”Unfortunately the wheels of justice you can’t really fast-track.Many people are stealing, because corruption is a form of stealing.They are not stupid, they try and cover their traces and they will not leave their footprints there.They will try and cover them.”Angula said it was imperative that those working to uncover corruption had the time and resources to do a thorough job.”Sometimes we must be patient.That does not mean that we should just leave things there.We should continue to ask questions as to what is going on,” said Angula.* LINDSAY DENTLINGER THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is set to start operating in January, with President Hifikepunye Pohamba expected to inaugurate the corruption-busting agency by the end of next month.Prime Minister Nahas Angula told The Namibian in an interview this week that those co-ordinating the establishment of the commission were busy securing office space and putting together a small budget.The appointment of Director Paulus Noa and his deputy, Erna van der Merwe, was endorsed by Parliament in October and they are expected to assume duty on January 1.”With the ACC in place now, people have an institution where they can go and blow the whistle.They will investigate matters and issues so that people become honest, or at least careful.”You should not do something wrong with your life to be discovered and shamed publicly,” said Angula.The Anti-Corruption Commission will start its work on a shoestring budget of N$2,5 million until the new National Budget is presented in April.The directors will have free rein to decide whether it will employ staff to carry out its work or hire external services.”I hope they are not going to put up a big bureaucracy and become just another Government bureaucracy.I hope that they will put up some kind of a structure and source services from agencies,” said Angula.He said he viewed the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Commission as one of Government’s efforts to promote transparency.The Anti-Corruption Commission Act was passed in 2003, but not until Angula took office as Prime Minister did it become law.In October, Angula told Parliament that an interviewing panel did not find the majority of applicants suitable to take on the task of heading the commission, but that after the shortlisted candidates were ranked by the panel the President decided to nominate Noa and Van der Merwe.”Corruption did not start in 2005, [but] the uncovering of corrupt activities this year can go down in history as one of the issues which have been unravelled, which is good,” said Angula.”Unfortunately the wheels of justice you can’t really fast-track.Many people are stealing, because corruption is a form of stealing.They are not stupid, they try and cover their traces and they will not leave their footprints there.They will try and cover them.”Angula said it was imperative that those working to uncover corruption had the time and resources to do a thorough job.”Sometimes we must be patient.That does not mean that we should just leave things there.We should continue to ask questions as to what is going on,” said Angula.The appointment of Director Paulus Noa and his deputy, Erna van der Merwe, was endorsed by Parliament in October and they are expected to assume duty on January 1.”With the ACC in place now, people have an institution where they can go and blow the whistle.They will investigate matters and issues so that people become honest, or at least careful. “You should not do something wrong with your life to be discovered and shamed publicly,” said Angula.The Anti-Corruption Commission will start its work on a shoestring budget of N$2,5 million until the new National Budget is presented in April.The directors will have free rein to decide whether it will employ staff to carry out its work or hire external services.”I hope they are not going to put up a big bureaucracy and become just another Government bureaucracy.I hope that they will put up some kind of a structure and source services from agencies,” said Angula.He said he viewed the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Commission as one of Government’s efforts to promote transparency.The Anti-Corruption Commission Act was passed in 2003, but not until Angula took office as Prime Minister did it become law.In October, Angula told Parliament that an interviewing panel did not find the majority of applicants suitable to take on the task of heading the commission, but that after the shortlisted candidates were ranked by the panel the President decided to nominate Noa and Van der Merwe.”Corruption did not start in 2005, [but] the uncovering of corrupt activities this year can go down in history as one of the issues which have been unravelled, which is good,” said Angula.”Unfortunately the wheels of justice you can’t really fast-track.Many people are stealing, because corruption is a form of stealing.They are not stupid, they try and cover their traces and they will not leave their footprints there.They will try and cover them.”Angula said it was imperative that those working to uncover corruption had the time and resources to do a thorough job.”Sometimes we must be patient.That does not mean that we should just leave things there.We should continue to ask questions as to what is going on,” said Angula.* LINDSAY DENTLINGER THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is set to start operating in January, with President Hifikepunye Pohamba expected to inaugurate the corruption-busting agency by the end of next month.Prime Minister Nahas Angula told The Namibian in an interview this week that those co-ordinating the establishment of the commission were busy securing office space and putting together a small budget.The appointment of Director Paulus Noa and his deputy, Erna van der Merwe, was endorsed by Parliament in October and they are expected to assume duty on January 1.”With the ACC in place now, people have an institution where they can go and blow the whistle.They will investigate matters and issues so that people become honest, or at least careful. “You should not do something wrong with your life to be
discovered and shamed publicly,” said Angula.The Anti-Corruption Commission will start its work on a shoestring budget of N$2,5 million until the new National Budget is presented in April.The directors will have free rein to decide whether it will employ staff to carry out its work or hire external services.”I hope they are not going to put up a big bureaucracy and become just another Government bureaucracy.I hope that they will put up some kind of a structure and source services from agencies,” said Angula.He said he viewed the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Commission as one of Government’s efforts to promote transparency.The Anti-Corruption Commission Act was passed in 2003, but not until Angula took office as Prime Minister did it become law.In October, Angula told Parliament that an interviewing panel did not find the majority of applicants suitable to take on the task of heading the commission, but that after the shortlisted candidates were ranked by the panel the President decided to nominate Noa and Van der Merwe.”Corruption did not start in 2005, [but] the uncovering of corrupt activities this year can go down in history as one of the issues which have been unravelled, which is good,” said Angula.”Unfortunately the wheels of justice you can’t really fast-track.Many people are stealing, because corruption is a form of stealing.They are not stupid, they try and cover their traces and they will not leave their footprints there.They will try and cover them.”Angula said it was imperative that those working to uncover corruption had the time and resources to do a thorough job.”Sometimes we must be patient.That does not mean that we should just leave things there.We should continue to ask questions as to what is going on,” said Angula.