NHC reform approved

By HELEN TARAWA
THE National Housing Corporation’s (NHC) refined structure has been approved and 219 positions will be advertised.
Salaries and conditions monitoring committee chairman and Department of Personnel Management acting secretary Taies Sansan in a letter to NHC acting managing director Elizabeth Bowada confirmed the approval of the new structure.
Sansan said in the letter that the board and management had complied with the Government’s direction for organisations to become leaner and effective to be geared towards service delivery.
“NHC is a key organisation managed to perform an important government function that contributes to the welfare of the citizens to contribute meaningfully to the economic growth of this country,” she said.
“Therefore, the committee through the department, will support where possible to ensure NHC deliver its managed functions effectively and efficiently.”
Sansan acknowledged the board and management for identifying and reducing the number of positions from 322 to 219.
“That will result in significant cost savings in NHC and is more appropriate now that NCH staff will be paid through the government payroll.
“The management will now have more time managing the mandated functions than being bogged down with administrative salary issues and concerns by the staff.
“Because the refinement is resulting in cost-saving and service delivery, it must be approved and implemented without delay.
“I commend the board and management of NHC under the political leadership of Minister for Housing and Urban Development Justin Tkatchenko in proposing a feasible organisation structure to improve performance at NHC.”
Tkatchenko said the refined structure of NHC would save the Government K6 million per year.
Tkatchenko said applicants should be qualified to take up jobs.
“The approval of the 219 positions indicates that we are finally getting the staff in order,” he said.
“I am happy that these changes will save costs and at the same time put NHC in order.”