KEETMANSHOOP – The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) on Wednesday hosted regional heads of offices, ministries, agencies as well as human resources’ practitioners from the region in Keetmanshoop in a stakeholders’ engagement forum.
Edwin Tjiramba, the entity’s manager for stakeholders’ engagement, said they were engaging stakeholders and pension beneficiaries to discuss issues of equal importance, and also capacitating supervisors and HR practitioners to be in a better position to address complaints which may arise from those employees contributing monthly towards the fund.
“We also decided to invite external stakeholders like the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA), Namfisa, First Capital, Public Service Medical Aid Scheme (Psemas) and others who are directly involved in the payment of pension benefits as third-party service providers,” he added.
Delivering the welcoming remarks, //Kharas Regional Council chairperson Joseph Isaacks said the GIPF has been an exemplary corporate citizen by investing in projects across the country which focus on the pillars of an environmental, social and governance impact.
“Moreover, the GIPF has made substantial
and material positive contributions to socio-economic development through its unlisted sectors across all 14 regions of Namibia, while enhancing the fund’s ability to maintain solid commercial returns,” he observed. “The //Kharas region was not excluded in the distribution of investments by the GIPF, with over N$247 million invested in renewable energy, property development and home loans for residents of our region, thereby benefiting the residents of our region and being the fifth-most invested in region”, Isaacks said.
Interviewed by New Era, Robert Skeyer (61) said the initiative was fruitful and informative.
“As pensioners, it is our request to the GIPF to seriously consider also giving us a yearly bonus equal to one month’s pension benefit we are receiving as a salary,” he pleaded.
Skeyer based his reasoning on the fact that the fund is making billions of dollars when investing their contributions, asking that if it can give huge loans to private companies, why can they, as pensioners under the fund, not also benefit?
“We do, however, appreciate the annual benefit payment increases. But with the current economic situation, it is not sufficient to cater for our needs as the elder generation,” he continued.
The fund’s asset value stands at N$151.8 billion, whilst total contributions received from members totals N$4.7 billion. About N$6.9 billion has been paid out as benefits to qualifying members, spouses, children and nominated persons.
-sklukowski@nepc.com.na