WINDHOEK - The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) yesterday officially opened its branch in Eenhana, situated in Onawa complex, Tobias Harelbeke Street. The opening of the branch was necessitated by the outcry for more accessible services in the Ohangwena Region and it is aligned to the Fund’s overall corporate strategy.
The new Eenhana office is equipped to offer the following services: pension enquiries, pension advice, biometric registration and verifications, benefit and income statements, as well as the submission of supporting documents.
“The Eenhana office has been integrated into PepLink POC, a solution which will enhance network connectivity, resulting in increased productivity, and file sharing editing opportunities for documents amongst GIPF colleagues from all over the country, at the touch of a button,” said Goms Menette, Chairman of GIPF.
GIPF also embarked on an ambitious Business Process Improvement (BPI) Project, with the aim of securing significant operational efficiencies across the Fund’s entire service supply chain. Through this project, the Fund will stream-line business processes, reduce potential risks, increase the pace of service delivery, and minimise processing errors.
“In the Fund’s effort to improve service delivery and ensure the timeous payments of pension and other benefits, members no longer have to stand in long queues to verify themselves. Pensioners, orphans and spouses of GIPF members in this Region, can now come to the Eenhana office as well as Nampost, to verify their existence three times a year. The verification periods are 1 November to 28 February, 1 March to 30 June and 1 July to 31 October. GIPF pleads with annuitants not to miss these important dates,” added Menette.
To further augment the Funds efforts to improve Stakeholder engagement, GIPF will enhance its outreach programme using the Fund’s ‘Pension on Wheels Mobile Van’ to reach members, especially those residing in remote areas of Namibia.
“Additionally, in GIPF’s efforts to fulfil the objectives of the Harambee Prosperity Plan, GIPF through its Fund Manager, Preferred Management Services Pty Ltd, initiated the Eenhana Housing Unit Development under the developer Formosa Island Investment (Pty) Ltd. GIPF invested N$17.4 million in the housing development that will ultimately have 271 residential houses aimed at low- and medium-income groups. 85 houses in phase one and 97 houses in phase two have been sold to date,” concluded Menette.