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Friday, January 4, 2002 - Web posted at 9:57:19 am GMT

WORKS, Transport and Communication Minister Moses Amweelo has been accused of influencing the Roads Construction Company (RCC) to build a four kilometre-stretch of gravel road to his private homestead south of Ondangwa.

The Congress of Democrats (CoD) has accused the Minister of the "highest order of corruption" saying that he should prove that he has paid for the work done for him.

"The Minister should provide proof of payment to absolve himself from corruption," said CoD Secretary General Ignatius Shixwameni.

Such behaviour is below the belt and it can only be described as low politics.

"This is a clear case of corruption and the RCC should not use public funds to buy favours from politicians. The RCC is also at fault for doing private work for the Minister. What is this preferential treatment all about?" Shixwameni asked.

He said when the Minister was about to make dealings which could expose him to conflicts of interest or corruption he "must make such dealings transparent".

The DTA has called for the dismissal of Amweelo from the Government.

"If the reports are true that the Minister of Works used taxpayers' money to construct a gravel road of four kilometres to his settlement, he should be dismissed immediately," said the DTA's spokesperson Joseph Kauandenge.

Kauandenge has called on President Sam Nujoma to establish a Commission of Inquiry to intervene "if the Government's self professed 'zero tolerance against corruption' is to be taken seriously".

He said people in power should not use their position for personal gains especially when it borders on corruption.

"Minister Amweelo must explain why such a privilege should be accorded to him at state expense, while there are countless Namibians who need such development."

"It is ironic, however, how people who took an oath to serve Namibians suddenly take a U-turn and start building plastic empires," Kauandenge added.

Amweelo, when approached by The Namibian on the allegations, maintained: "The whole thing has been distorted. It is a false story."

The Minister said he would clarify the controversy when he returned from leave on Monday.

RCC Chief Executive officer Farahad Nadimi claimed the company had been asked by the Minister to grade 200 metres of an existing road, not construct a new road.

He said that Amweelo "paid for the work" done for him. Nadimi was not specific about the location of the road which was graded and he was unable to give details of the payment.

He said the RCC does carry out private jobs for other people, including farmers and business people, on a commercial basis.
"We charge them normal fees and for us it is just business. There is no preferential treatment and we don't ask whether it is a Minister or not," said Nadimi.