Twenty-eight newly appointed members of the Employment Equity Commission (EEC) of Namibia on Wednesday officially received their appointment letters from the Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation, Utoni Nujoma.

The new members were appointed by Nujoma on approval of the National Assembly, and are expected to serve the commission for a period of three years.

They include 14 permanent or substantive members and 14 alternate members from trade unions, employer organisations, designated groups, women, people living with disabilities and the State.

Advocate Otniel Podewiltz is their chairperson.

Nujoma at the inauguration event reminded the new commission that the Employment Equity Commission of Namibia was created by the Affirmative Action (Employment Act no. 29 of 1998) to guide employers in eliminating barriers against persons in designated groups with a view towars ensuring that they are also equitably represented at all levels of employment.

“Your duty as new members of this commission is to ensure that the provisions of the affirmative action laws are effectively enforced and employers bring about the overdue necessary transformations,” he said.

Nujoma encouraged the commission to see to it that workforce organisations reflect the demographics of the Namubian nation in job distribution, incomes and occupations.

On his part, Otjozondjupa Governor James Uerikua called on the new members of the commission to see to it that all unfair labour practices allegedly taking place on privately owned farms and in the charcoal production industry are done away with by the end of their three-year tenure.

The new commissioners will undergo an induction training course at Otjiwarongo from Wednesday until Friday.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency