Govt moves on GIPF culprits

 

GOVERNMENT’S decision to swoop down on those responsible for the looting of the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) was cautiously welcomed with reservations expressed that it might be a little too late.

A media statement issued last week by Minister of Information and Communication Technology Joël Kaapanda stated that Cabinet approved the recommendations by the legal team regarding the GIPF report compiled by the DBO audit firm.
Cabinet decided that all issues identified as criminal were submitted to the Office of the Prosecutor General for possible criminal action to be taken against the culprits.
Civil action will be taken where appropriate.
Moreover, the legal team recommended that disciplinary action be taken against those civil servants found to have neglected their duties in respect of the GIPF functions.
Cabinet further directed Secretary to Cabinet Frans Kapofi to compile a list of such staff members and refer the names to the relevant Government offices, ministries, and agencies to take action in accordance with the provisions of the Public Service Act.
It similarly directed the GIPF to take disciplinary action against senior managers who have allegedly neglected their duties in accordance with the GIPF rules and procedures.
Cabinet further directed the ad hoc committee on GIPF, through the Office of the Prime Minister, to assist it to develop an envisaged legislative framework and to continue submitting periodic reports to Cabinet on the GIPF matter.
Further, it directed the Ministry of Justice to speed up the drafting of the legislation governing the GIPF once issues have been ironed out with relevant stakeholders.
Secretary General of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) Evilastus Kaaronda said the decision was long overdue, but failed to understand why Cabinet is only reacting now.
The first audit report detailing the unpaid loans of the Development Capital Portfolio (DCP) of more than N$660 million was already received by the Office of the Prime Minister in 2007.
Since then, Government has failed to take action, purportedly because a number of high-ranking political and Government leaders are implicated.
Notwithstanding, Kaaronda commented that Government’s intentions are good, and that action must be taken in good faith.
“But I doubt Cabinet’s sincerity,” he added. “We need to know who is implicated, or not. I remain very cautious.”
He also urged the public servants who want to take Government to court to release the last audit report on the ill-fated DCP loans.
Chairperson of the Public Servants Committee that plans the court action, Adeline Black said the committee intends to do just that.
The committee’s legal representative Theo Frank has written a letter to Government in which the public workers demand the release of the audit report.
Black said the committee is still awaiting a response to their request, failure of which the committee will continue with legal action.
“While we welcome Government’s announcement, we cannot wait,” said Black. “We will mentor the implementation of Cabinet’s decisions on the GIPF very closely. We know that a precedent was set in the Avid and ODC [Offshore Development Cooperation] cases [in which N$30 million and N$100 million got lost in dodgy investments and still not yet accounted for]. But this is our baby.”
She said if Government is transparent, it would release the latest audit report.
Black said the six Government officials who represented public workers at the GIPF but have failed to protect the interests of the workers, are now tasked to clean up the GIPF mess.
“What is going to happen? Who will take responsibility?” questioned Black.