Student bodies welcome Nghiwete’s reinstatement

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Local student bodies have welcomed the reinstatement of dismissed Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) Chief Executive Officer, Hilya Nghiwete, saying they hope the fund can now channel its energies towards solving student issues.

Nghiwete was suspended in April 2018 on allegations of maladministration and/or administrative corruption, among other misconduct.

After allegedly failing to show up for disciplinary hearings and ignoring several summonses, NSFAF subsequently dismissed her in February 2020.

Last week, the Labour Commissioner’s Office branded her dismissal as unfair and ordered that Nghiwete be reinstated and to be paid about N. dollars 2.7 million in back-pay.

Spokesperson for the Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso), Esther Shakela, while responding to question on Nampa on Monday, said they welcome the conclusion of the four-year long leadership battle.

“NANSO is glad the institution’s governance affairs have been taken care of and now hope to see reinvigorated efforts to meeting the funding needs of students,” Shakela said.

NANSO’s statement follows earlier support by the Student Union of Namibia (SUN), who on Friday highlighted that the reinstatement of Nghiwete represents a major win for students in particular and the higher education fraternity in general.

A statement issued by SUN’s spokesperson, Tyson Hihanguapo, on Friday said they are confident that with the return of Nghiwete at the helm of NSFAF, the much-needed reforms needed at the institution will take centre stage, and in the process ensure that the fund not only continues rendering financial support to poor students, but that it also remains sustainable in the medium to long-term.

“Her reinstatement gives renaissance to the SUN call for free, quality and decolonised higher education in our lifetime. The Student Union of Namibia remains alive to the monies that must now be redirected from funding students to settle amounts as indicated in the instructions from the Labour Commissioner’s office; a cost that could have been avoided if proper procedures were followed,” SUN’s statement reads.

Source: Namibia Press Agency