Nacosec staff contracts not renewed

MASERU-THE National Covid-19 Secretariat (Nacosec) did not renew the contracts of workers whose contracts expired at the end of March, thepost learnt this week.
The Nacosec, previously named the National Emergency Command Centre, was formed specifically to spearhead the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Nacosec spokesman, Baroana Phenethi, confirmed that the directly recruited staff had been sent home after their contracts expired.
“We are now remaining with civil servants because the office cannot remain vacant,” Phenethi said.
“We still have the Nacosec staff in office to execute the institution’s duties,” he said.

Phenethi said the former employees would only be recalled if and when there is a need.
He said new recruits are often given three-month contracts which can be renewed periodically.
A source at Nacosec said the recruits were given six-months contract which ran from July to December last year.

The contracts were later extended by a further three months which ended in March.
When the Nacosec moved from the ’Manthabiseng Convention Centre to Maseru Avani, its other departments like security and transport were left behind.
The staff would call the transport from the Convention Centre if there was such a need, the source said.

Now the Nacosec transport officer has also left because he was one of the direct recruits.
The Nacosec direct recruits’ contracts expired at a time when it had just shifted to the Ministry of Health premises from Maseru Avani.
Phenethi said they are using the space which was used by the Ministry of Social Development at the Health Headquarters.

“We have always wanted to be where we would not pay rent,” he said.
This happened after the Nacosec had coughed out millions of maloti for rent at both the ’Manthabiseng Convention Centre and Maseru Avani.
The Nacosec staff would get their salaries directly from the Cabinet or Disaster Management (DMA).
The Nacosec struggled to have its own bank account. Last year, the staff could not get their salaries for three months.
Some workers joined the Nacosec at the government’s invitation while others applied for jobs.

The workers were caught up in a power battle between the Nacosec and some government officials.
In February this year, the Nacosec offices at the Maseru Avani were temporarily shut down after it failed to clear rental arrears.
The source said the government is thinking of getting rid of the Nacosec altogether and cede its responsibilities to the Ministry of Health.

Staff Reporter