THE Minister of Works and Transport has denied having fired the board of Air Namibia.
Erkki Nghimtina said a front-page report in a local daily newspaper that he had given the entire Air Namibia board of directors their marching orders was "totally false".
According to the Namibian Sun article published on Friday, Nghimtina fired the national airline's board of directors after they allegedly failed to address pertinent issues.
The article stated that one of the reasons given for the sacking was the neglect of the board's financial and organisational responsibilities towards Air Namibia.
Another alleged reason, the article stated, was that the Air Namibia board of directors had failed to monitor the national airline's performance against the budget.
Nghimtina however says that the article is "200 per cent false".
The Works Minister said he had contacted the editor of the Namibian Sun, requesting an explanation as to how such "totally false" information could have been published.
When asked whether Air Namibia board chairperson Hiyangerwa Asheeke and the rest of the board, which includes Joe Shipepe, Lea Namoloh, Goms Menette and Digu //Naobeb, were still serving as the board of the national airline, Nghimtina said yes.
Nghimtina said the article has caused "damage" between himself and the Air Namibia board.
According to the article, Air Namibia's new board of directors is made up of Harald Schmidt, Tim Ekandjo, Alois Jonach, Evelyn Zimba-Naris and Erastus Hoveka.
Iin a statement issued on Friday, Air Namibia's head for corporate communications, Paul Nakawa, labelled the content of the news article as "false" and "misleading the public".
Nakawa said the current directors have served Air Namibia since 2004, and although their mandate ended on March 31, "the Minister (Nghimtina) has decided to extend the term of the current board, effective 01 April 2012".
Nghimtina said he has demanded an apology from the newspaper, failing which he will consider legal action.
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