The former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Namibian Tourism Board (NTB), has dismissed allegations of having entered into fraudulent contracts on behalf of NTB with a Ghanaian digital marketing and promotion company, Hype.Up Limited.
Digu ||Naobeb demands that NTB provide any evidence of the alleged corruption, or else he will take steps against the board.
His reaction follows accusations by Hype.Up that the NTB is withholding payment of N$700,000 for services rendered under a contract agreement signed in 2023.
Hype.Up claims to have been contracted by NTB in 2023 to promote Namibian tourism in Ghana and other West African countries.
However, despite fulfilling its contractual obligations, it has not received its payments yet.
Meanwhile, NTB says its investigation found that the invoices in question were issued five months before agreements were formalised, raising fraud concerns.
The board also stated that three service agreements were signed by ||Naobeb.
In response, ||Naobeb refutes the claims, describing them as flawed, malicious, and serious.
"It's unfortunate that the board did not even have time to scrutinise who is involved and whose name is being mentioned is available. I have never even declined any time when I was approached, but I was never approached, so that could have been the starting point. All things were legitimate to this effect, and these contracts were executed. Hype.Up has a good wealth of networks and connections. It's unfortunate, as it has ruined the reputation of the country and some of us due to the police crime that has been filed; some are wanted in Ghana, and if there was a fraud committed, I don't think Hype.Up would have connived with me and reported me to the police for a crime to which I am not a party."
||Naobeb also told nbc News that the matter has reached the Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, following a visit to Ghana with the President, and this has resulted in discussions in Ghana on how to address the matter.
"This issue could have been sat around the table and could have been resolved, and it should not have come to this stage where very inaccurate information is published and tarnishing the image of others and which needs to be corrected."
NTB also claimed that Hype.Up did not render services under the agreements.
"In fact, the High Commissioner representing Namibia in Ghana has also issued a number of written letters confirming the events as they have happened because we never travelled to Ghana without an invitation from the High Commission to apply for visas. There was a group that came to Namibia on the November Namibia initiative, which yielded N$20,000 for two tour operators. Those are evidence on the ground."
He also accused the current NTB board of having no comprehension of government programmes to be supported.
||Naobeb has also written a letter to NTB's Board Chairperson stating that NTB's claims are an assassination of his character and damaging to his reputation.