The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform Calle Schlettwein on Monday officially appointed a seven-member board of directors, chaired by Luther Rukira, to lead NamWater.
Rukira is deputised by Maenge Shipiki-Kali, while Vivianne Kinyanga, Francis Heunis, Uda Nakamela, Fanuel Uugwanga and Matty Hauuanga make up the rest of the board.
“Personally, I am dedicated to transparency and accountability. I will work very closely with the board and management of NamWater but also our stakeholders, which is the Ministry” Rukira said about his appointment.
Rukira also intends on advocating for the recruitment of young and skilled persons, saying NamWater’s average workforce is between 50-52 years, thus there is need for new blood to take over.
“You must think broader than just the supply of water, but also consider the consequences of when you do not supply that water as it will have devastating effects, which can be fatal. You should not forget that this is a pivotal organisation, thus you have the responsibility to sustain the water and ensure continued supply of water at all times to the whole nation,” said Schlettwein.
In addition, the Minister said the board has an added mandate of supplying rural areas, and not only provision of bulk water services.
The previous board, under the leadership of Thaddius Maswahu, served for two terms from 2017.
“We found the institution in a negative and as we exit, we are leaving about N$215 million, way better than what we found. Therefore, we are proud and ready to assist wherever our services may be needed,” Maswahu briefly said.
