Sixteen apply for NPL CEO post

A TOTAL of 16 applications have been received for the position of chief executive officer of the Namibia Premier League.

The applications have since closed and according to the chairman of the league, Johnny Doëseb, the names of an independent panel who will shortlist the candidates will be made known next week.’We have identified between five and six members who will serve on the independent panel and we will make a formal announcement who these people are. They will be assisted by two members of the NPL management committee,’ he said yesterday.Doëseb said the league authorities decided not to shortlist the candidates based on the applications received, but would rather leave that in the hands of the panel members to shortlist and then conduct interviews.’They have to screen the candidates themselves because we don’t want to be biased and selective in this process. We want it as transparent as possible and that is why we will also make known the names of the members who will serve on this panel next week,’ said the Eleven Arrows owner. Doëseb said the shortlisted candidates will make presentations to the panel on how they aim to transform the league.’The league needs to be realigned and these persons will have to tell the panel members what ideas they have in making it a viable entity that can sustain itself and also how they want to serve the interest of football at that level,’ he said.Doëseb, who was endorsed as the chairman of the league about two months ago, confirmed that 16 applications have been received, but did not divulge any names.The NPL has never had a chief executive officer before and is run by members of the management committee whose members are appointed by the Board of Governors (BoG).The BoG consists of all 12 chairmen or owners of the premiership teams as elected by their club.The BoG is the overseer of all the activities of the NPL with the guidance of the management committee which in turn oversees the work of the NPL administrative office. The NPL was founded in 1990 and is a non-profit organisation governed under the universally accepted principles of corporate governance.The NPL has been affiliated to the Namibia Football Association (NFA) since 1992 and is now seeking associate membership from the mother body, to have the autonomy of running its activities on business principles as it intends to move into a professional direction. corry@namibian.com.na