Accident-prone Intelligence costs taxpayer

Jo-Maré Duddy – The Namibia Central Intelligence Service (NCIS) paid nearly half a million dollars in excess insurance payments for 90 vehicle accidents which happened in the three budget years 2014/15 to 2016/17.

In the process 12 vehicles worth about N$2.1 million in total were written off. Of this, around N$1.9 million in total was recovered.

The information is contained in report of the auditor-general on the accounts of the NCIS for the financial years ended 31 March 2015 to 31 March 2017 which was tabled in parliament recently.

According to the report, 32 accidents were reported in 2014/15. Four vehicles were written off, while 28 were repaired at a cost of nearly N$1.1 million. About 90% of costs were recovered.

In 2015/16, 26 accidents took place and 19 vehicles could be repaired. This cost N$663 383 of which N$593 534 was recovered.

During 2016/17, 32 accidents were reported. Repairing 31 vehicles cost N$923 153 of which N$831 638 was recovered.

For the fiscal years 2013/14 to 2016/17, the NCIS spent about N$67 million to purchase vehicles, the report shows.

Insurance and excess payments during the period under review averaged about N$4.7 million per year.