Tujoromajo Kasuto
The Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST) and University of Namibia (UNAM) are in an expensive tug of war over a prospective staff member offering packages of more than N$1 million each.
Current UNAM spokesperson, John Haufiku, has been offered a position at NUST as the Director of Marketing and Communications.
According to internal sources, the benefits of the position is said to be up to N$1.4 million per annum.
However, UNAM has made a counter offer, and it remains unclear whether Haufiku has accepted the offer or not.
This offer has rubbed some staff members up the wrong way, who say that both institutions are claiming lack of funds ‘’yet are engaging in such’’ an expensive bidding process.
UNAM recently appointed Marius Kudumo as Director of Corporate Engagement and International Affairs, a position that was headed by Haufiku in an acting capacity.
Haufiku, is being offered the position at NUST which was vacated by Kudumo.
Other allegations are that ‘’both have been offered extremely high salaries beyond the scope of what their policies allow’’.
Unam is said to have lost more than 10 staff to NUST in the last 4 months, which insiders claimis mainly due to a restructuring process that took place this year, which has affected both institutions negatively.
This development follows after the institutions have tried to merge departments to save costs, but these initiatives did not yield the desired results, as disciplines that are not related are being merged
Haufiku in a brief interview with the Windhoek Observer confirmed that he has received the offers but did not want to say anything beyond that.
‘’Yes I got a counter offer from UNAM, but I am still studying it. However, on the allegations of the salaries it is highly unlikely, but I wouldn’t know that, only the respective HR departments can answer that question,’’ he said.
According to a local media outlet, Unam employees are unhappy with the vice chancellor,
Kenneth Matengu’s plan to reduce overhead expenditures.
This include reducing eight faculties to four and restructuring the university’s top management structure, with the university closing its ten regional centres in favour of online academic support.
