Minister of Works and Transport, Veikko Nekudi (Photo: The Namibian) Works and Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi met with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Windhoek to discuss the challenges hindering...

[Namibian] Minister of works and transport Veikko Nekundi has defended his decision to dismiss the board of the Engineering Council of Namibia (ECN), saying the move is final despite the board calling it unjust.

Allexer Namundjembo The former members of the Engineering Council of Namibia (ECN) are challenging the authority of works and transport minister Veikko Nekundi over his decision to dissolve the Council. In a letter addressed to Nekundi over the weekend, the former board called the dismissal “unlawful”, “humiliating”, and “a threat to the country’s regulatory integrity”.  They said the decision was procedurally flawed and carried out through irregular channels. “The Council appointed in August 2022 was constituted in accordance with the Engineering Profession Act, and no legal ground for our removal has been invoked,” said ECN’s former president, Sophia Belete-Tekie. According to the former members, the ministry did not issue the termination letters directly. Instead, they say the letters were circulated by the Council’s registrar, an official they say is facing serious allegations of misconduct. “The decision to consider dissolving the Council without properly investigating the serious allegations raised against the Registrar, undermines the legal safeguards established by the act,” the letter reads. The Council accuses the registrar of forging professional registration documents, paying himself unauthorised salaries, tampering with the ECN database, and misrepresenting his position as CEO when he is legally only the registrar.  The allegations are supported by financial records, legal documents, and Council minutes, according to the former members. “Forgery related to his claimed Professional Engineer registration, unlawful overtime payments of over N$101,000, and a forged employment contract were among the serious acts uncovered.” The Council says a disciplinary hearing into the registrar lasted 14 months and confirmed the allegations.  However, the ruling was dismissed on technical grounds due to the ministry’s failure to gazette the Council, despite over N$800,000 in state spending on the case. “Despite the thorough process and the Council’s commitment to justice, the ruling was not in our favour due to the Ministry’s failure to gazette the Council,” the letter states. The letter also highlights concerns over registration fraud under the previous Council (2018–2022), including duplicate certificate numbers, missing documentation, and unverified credentials that may pose risks to public safety.  A forensic audit to verify these registrations remains incomplete, allegedly due to obstruction. “Unverified credentials may compromise infrastructure safety and national development efforts,” Belete-Tekie said. She added that the Council continued to operate under difficult, unrewarded conditions and achieved several milestones, including restoring financial reporting systems and audit compliance for 2019 and 2020. “Despite the challenges faced by some Council members due to the support of the Registrar, the Council has managed to do all operational activities with sacrifice and integrity.” The former members are calling on the incoming Council to act independently, investigate the registrar through the High Court or Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), suspend irregular programme approvals, and implement a secure digital records system.  They also urged that future appointments be made in strict accordance with the act and that consultations on the new Engineering Bill be expanded. The letter was signed by Belete-Tekie and four other former Council members.  It was copied to the Office of the President, the Prime Minister, the Attorney General, and relevant engineering institutions. On Friday, Nekundi dismissed several ECN members with immediate effect.  The ministry issued a public statement on Thursday evening confirming the decision and announcing that a new board would be appointed. The ministry stated that the minister has the authority to appoint and remove Council members.  Officials have started the process of identifying replacements.  No reasons were given for the decision, and the ministry has yet to respond to the matter.  It said new appointments would be made in due course.

Minister of works and transport Veikko Nekundi says the ruling party is the only political party in Namibia with the nation’s best interests at heart. Speaking at a Swapo mobilisation rally at Oshawapala village at Endola in the Ohangwena region on Saturday, he said all Namibians should dream about Swapo at night. “. . . and every house must be happy because of the good work and good governance Swapo has brought upon everyone – irrespective of political party affiliation,” the minister said. He urged citizens to fly Swapo’s flag on trees at home. “We want everyone to always dream about Swapo at night and say ‘Swapo, you are good, Swapo, you are beautiful’. Swapo is the only party working tirelessly to make sure that every citizen is happy and benefits from the country’s resources,” he said. He said Swapo will only be able to achieve its objectives if all party members work together and avoid infighting. He thanked Endola residents for ensuring Swapo’s victory in last year’s elections, during which the party received over 8 000 votes out of about 14 000 registered voters. “Thank you for showing the opposition parties how to vote and for showing them Endola is solely for Swapo, and no other party can come here and influence you to vote for them. I hope the other constituencies around the country take note and make sure every inhabitant votes right by voting for Swapo only. “Always make sure you support the party that has everyone’s best interest at heart, a party that is working hard to ensure we end hunger and suffering, and a party that has done so much development in every corner of the country,” he said. Nekundi urged party members to work hard and ensure no one goes to bed hungry, adding that people cannot eat party slogans or party colours. “Start working with what you have, whether it’s little or big. What will matter is the end result. We also have to avoid this thing of only going to people when it’s time for elections. We must mobilise our people even when there are no elections. Every Swapo member must have the responsibility to work hard,” he said. Nekundi said schools and clinics have been constructed under the Swapo-led government, and most rural roads have been upgraded to bitumen standard. The minister said party members and sympathisers should go out in large numbers to vote for Swapo in November’s regional council and local authority elections. The post Everyone must dream of Swapo at night – Nekundi appeared first on The Namibian.

Works Minister Pays Surprise Visit to Windhoek NATIS Branch NBC Online Sat, 04/05/2025 - 18:22

Minista woilonga noyeendifo Veikko Nekundi okwa pula opo ehangano lokuwilika eendjila laNamibia ledina Road Authority (RA) opo li ninge eindilo loipumbiwa lomeendelelo li wapaleke onhopa yoAris oyo kwa li ya teka po kodula oshivike sha dja. Onhopa oyo ya teka po oya fiya ovakalimo vokoRehoboth ovo have ya okulongela kOvenduka keshe efiku vehe wete kutya otava ningi ngahelipi. Onhopa oyo i li mondjila yoB1, i li eekilometa 30 koumbuwanhu waVenduka, okwa li ya teyaulwa po neenghono komeva efundja a etwa kodula yakula oyo ya li ko. Nekundi okwa ti onhopa kakwa li tai dulu okuwapalekwa noya pumbwa okupingenwa po nonhopa i na eebaana mbali. Minista, oo kwa li a ka talela onhopa, okwa yandja omayele komukulunhu wehangano lokuwilika eendjila Conrad Lutombi opo a kendabale a ninge eindilo lokukonga oipumbiwa lomeendelelo opo ku kwashilipalekwe kutya onhopa ipe oya manifwa pefimbo. “Ondi wete kutya ohandi dulu okuyandja elombwelo lopamulandu shi na sha nouwa woshiwana. Itatu dulu okulongifa omukalo oo hau longifwa shito wokukonga oipumbiwa, oo hau pula eemwedi neemwedi. Onghee nee, ondi na nonda dama natango keemhango dopaulumomumbwe dokukonga oipumbiwa,” Nekundi osho a ti ngaho. Minista natango okwa li a talela ondjila yongushu yeebiliyona N$10, oyo kwa li ya tungwa opo ku kelelwe ofina yomauto ahapu unene mondjila oyo i li pokati koshilando noumbuwanhu waNamibia, ya ya fiyo okeengaba daSouth Africa. Minista okwa pandula ehangano olo tali longo ondjila oyo, eshi la tunga po ondjila imwe oyo tai longifwa paife. “Okwa li va twalwa ko divadiva, ndee okwa li va longa ondjila oyo ya ningilwa okupitika omahauto a yuka kombinga imwe e li avali,” Minista osho a ti ngaho. Lutombi okwa ti oilonga yonhopa yoAris otai ka pula eemwedi di li heyali lwaapo opo i manifwe. “Ou shi kombinga yonhopa oyo ya teka po, opo twa ninga ondjila yopakafimbo paife, nohatu longo opate yaalushe, i na eendjila mbali. “Nokonima, otwe lineekela okwiipatulula moule woivike ivali. Notu li yoo vali twe lipyakidila nomafaneko okutungulula onhopa ei. “Okulongulula otashi dulika ku tu pule eemwedi heyali, onghee nee kashi shi oshinima tashi dulu okuningwa meendelelo. Otu na okukwashilipaleka kutya otwe i longa pamukalo oo tau dulu okupitika eenghono domeva oo twa didilika. Onghee nee oya pumbwa okulongwa pamukalo wopamufika lela,” Osho a ti ngaho. Lutombi okwa ti okwa teelela olopota i na ouyelele wa wana kutya eendjila moshilongo oda mona oixuna i fike peni. Okwa weda po kutya ondjila oyo ya dja mondjila oyo yaHosea Kutako ya yuka kOvitoto oya patwa manga shaashi oya mona oixuna neenghono kodula. RA okwa kufa eenghatu dokupata ondjila ikulu yopokati kOvenduka nOkahandja, shaashi onhopa pokati kOsona Village nOsona Military Base oi na omadidiliko okuteka po. The post Nekundi okwa lombwela ehangano lokuwilika eendjila lilonge onhopa yoAris meendelelo appeared first on The Namibian.