NHE misspended: NUNW

THE National Housing Enterprise (NHE) may soon find itself under the microscope of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), should the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) follow through with a warning issued on Tuesday.

During a press conference in Windhoek, NUNW Secretary General Evilastus Kaaronda said his union may soon make an official appeal to the AAC to investigate alleged misspending by NHE CEO Vincent Hailulu. While the NHE cited a need to cut costs as well as incompetence on the part of some workers as among the reasons for its restructuring process, Kaaronda on Tuesday revealed recent NHE spending figures to the media, which he says puts this reasoning in question.The company had apparently spent N$178 964 on the services of a private consultant during negotiations with the union between November 2006 and January this year, Kaaronda said.Also, between June 2006 and April 2007, another consultant had been employed at a cost of N$120 750 during the same process.”All this while the NHE has fulltime human resources staff”, Kaaronda said.Kaaronda also alleged that NHE CEO Vincent Hailulu had bought a single chair for N$14 233, stating that the documentation was in his possession and could be forwarded to the AAC if required.”What a waste.The workers are made to understand that the company is not doing well financially but the CEO continues unabated to waste what he says needs to be preserved.We are strongly worried about the situation at this company, as some monies withdrawn by the CEO between November and December of 2006 amounting to N$46 074.95 remain unaccounted for, while the company keeps bleeding…”Kaaronda said.The NUNW, he said, supports the legal action taken against the company by the laid-off workers and former managers.Kaaronda said the above-mentioned actions of the CEO led him to believe that Hailulu’s name should be added to the list of NHE employees considered incompetent.Should Hailulu’s name not be added, he said, that would prove discrimination in the implementation of the NHE’s restructuring process.Kaaronda further repeated a concern previously mentioned by his union, that Hailulu and NHE board Chairperson Gerhard Toetemeyer are business partners in an independent venture, New Paradigm Consultancy.”The unhealthy relationship which makes these two individuals equal business partners at night and then employee and employer during the day at NHE can no longer remain unchallenged,” Kaaronda said.Hailulu could not be reached for comment, as he was said to be on leave.NHE spokesperson Jonathan Sam however commented on behalf of the company, saying the NUNW’s attacks on Hailulu were nothing more than “the last kick of a dying horse”.Employees who had taken legal action against the company had done so independently and without the support of the Namibia Financial Institutions Union (Nafinu), Sam said.On Monday, he said, the NHE had been informed that Metcalfe Legal Practitioners had been granted power of attorney in the matter between the company and the workers, which means the union no longer has a say in the matter.”Nafinu has no more mandate in this matter,” he stated.While the NHE cited a need to cut costs as well as incompetence on the part of some workers as among the reasons for its restructuring process, Kaaronda on Tuesday revealed recent NHE spending figures to the media, which he says puts this reasoning in question.The company had apparently spent N$178 964 on the services of a private consultant during negotiations with the union between November 2006 and January this year, Kaaronda said.Also, between June 2006 and April 2007, another consultant had been employed at a cost of N$120 750 during the same process.”All this while the NHE has fulltime human resources staff”, Kaaronda said.Kaaronda also alleged that NHE CEO Vincent Hailulu had bought a single chair for N$14 233, stating that the documentation was in his possession and could be forwarded to the AAC if required.”What a waste.The workers are made to understand that the company is not doing well financially but the CEO continues unabated to waste what he says needs to be preserved.We are strongly worried about the situation at this company, as some monies withdrawn by the CEO between November and December of 2006 amounting to N$46 074.95 remain unaccounted for, while the company keeps bleeding…”Kaaronda said.The NUNW, he said, supports the legal action taken against the company by the laid-off workers and former managers.Kaaronda said the above-mentioned actions of the CEO led him to believe that Hailulu’s name should be added to the list of NHE employees considered incompetent.Should Hailulu’s name not be added, he said, that would prove discrimination in the implementation of the NHE’s restructuring process.Kaaronda further repeated a concern previously mentioned by his union, that Hailulu and NHE board Chairperson Gerhard Toetemeyer are business partners in an independent venture, New Paradigm Consultancy.”The unhealthy relationship which makes these two individuals equal business partners at night and then employee and employer during the day at NHE can no longer remain unchallenged,” Kaaronda said.Hailulu could not be reached for comment, as he was said to be on leave.NHE spokesperson Jonathan Sam however commented on behalf of the company, saying the NUNW’s attacks on Hailulu were nothing more than “the last kick of a dying horse”.Employees who had taken legal action against the company had done so independently and without the support of the Namibia Financial Institutions Union (Nafinu), Sam said.On Monday, he said, the NHE had been informed that Metcalfe Legal Practitioners had been granted power of attorney in the matter between the company and the workers, which means the union no longer has a say in the matter.”Nafinu has no more mandate in this matter,” he stated.