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Pensioners
Will Get More in 2007
By Frederick Philander, AllAfrica.com
Africa
October 20, 2005
"I believe that a holistic approach to poverty alleviation is needed, and not a piecemeal approach to increase the monthly pensions of the aged in the country, as was proposed in a motion by the DTA of Namibia."
This is the view of Alpheus !Naruseb, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare. He spoke in Parliament this week during the debate on the DTA leader Katuutire Kaura's motion asking for the monthly pensions of the elderly to be increased from N$300 to N$500.
"The Government holds the plight of the elderly dear to its heart.
How can we forget the tireless efforts of those whom we refer to today as the elderly who have sacrificed to bring the country to the level it is today physically, economically and spiritually? I am painfully aware of the poverty suffered by the majority of our citizens, by the most vulnerable - the elderly and the very young," an emotional Alpheus !Naruseb told the House.
By his own admission, the current situation in the country with regard to poverty is unacceptable.
"Poverty among our citizens is a ticking time bomb and in some respects it is worsening. The issue we must address is, what we as a nation can do to maximize our efforts to alleviate poverty. The dilemma we in Africa face is the effects of the AIDS pandemic, leaving orphans with new parents, the grandparents. In addition, the high unemployment rate and the school dropout rate add to the burden of the elderly. All of these children have to be catered for from the already meager pension of the elderly," Naruseb said.
According to the minister, the current old age pension is often the sole source of monetary income for many households.
"Although we would like to think that adult children should be able to care for their elderly parents, the situation is often in reverse in our country: many of the elderly use their old age pensions to provide for themselves, their adult children and their grandchildren. However, the Government's policies have since independence been aimed at improving the lives of the poor," the minister, who also provided statistics with regard to annual pensions and grants paid out to beneficiaries by his ministry, said.
A total of 119, 416 old age pensioners monthly benefit from payments by the ministry.
"Provision has been made to increase the pension of the elderly in the 2007/2008 financial year. However, the modest increments in the old age pension alone will not solve the massive problem of poverty facing our nation.
We need to re-focus and re-prioritize our efforts to seek solutions," he urged.
"No one will deny a need for an increase in the pensions of the old age. Surely, when and if the financial resources permit, adjustments will be made, but the Government does not have to be reminded by the leader of the DTA of such increments or adjustments," said John Mutorwa, Minister of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture in his contribution to the debate.
He expressed concerns about the late monthly payments of pensioners by the responsible company.
"Many pensioners in rural areas do not get their pensions on time due to what staff of the United Africa Group term as 'technical problems'.
"In the Kavango, many pensioners were last week stranded. They could not get their money due to 'technical problems'. The managers of the company must publicly clarify, investigate and rectify this unacceptable situation. Does the Government honour the agreement with the company, even if the work to pay out the pension money to the beneficiaries, is not properly, ethically and professionally done? The answer is 'no'," Mutorwa said.
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