adminHerald Reporter
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Obert Mpofu yesterday defended Air Zimbabwe acting board chairperson Mr Abdulman Eric Harid for doubling up as the airline’s general manager responsible for finance. Mr Harid’s actions are in violation of Government’s recently proposed National Code of Corporate Governance which prohibits a senior member of management from doubling up as a board member.
The code makes it mandatory that no chairperson or board member of a company should double-up as a chief executive officer of the same company.
In an interview after a send-off ceremony for five drivers who are heading for an international competition in Poland, Minister Mpofu said Mr Harid was an accountant for Air Zimbabwe on an interim basis while the hunt was on for a substantive holder of the post.
“The issue was misrepresented,” said Minister Mpofu.
“That gentleman, Mr Harid, was part of the interim team that was assigned to run the affairs of Air Zimbabwe briefly.
“He was assigned to assist finance as a former comptroller and auditor general, so it was a temporary arrangement while we were looking for a new board.”
Parliamentarians recently raised concern over Mr Harid’s doubling up of the positions in view of the Government’s proposed National Code of Corporate Governance.
Minister Mpofu said Mr Harid would not eventually assume the position of accountant for Air Zimbabwe because he was a pensioner who retired from Government some time ago.
“When we appointed a new board he moved to the board, but there was no substantive accountant so he has been waiting to handover,” he said. “We cannot just leave a department of finance unattended.
“We said now that there is a new board, he will act as chairman while the board looks to fill substantive positions. It is not possible the law doesn’t allow that. We called him back just to assist.”
Minister Mpofu saw off the team of drivers to the World Professional Driver Championship in Poland scheduled from Thursday to Saturday. He said it was critical to include commuter omnibus drivers in such programmes to enable them to learn from other world class drivers and avoid accidents due to human error.
The World Professional Drivers Championship is hosted by the Union International Des Chauffers Routiers (UICR), an international body for professional drivers which coordinates and represents the interests of professional drivers worldwide.
It hosts the championship every two years.
Online Reporter