Parties target pensioners

WINDHOEK – Opposition parties have their eye on the pensioner vote, promising to increase the monthly welfare grant for the elderly by at least N$150.

With less than a month to go before polling day, the DTA of Namibia has promised to increase pensions from N$350 to N$500 if voted into power. The DTA said it would provide a liveable social security pension that is adjusted annually to keep up with inflation.In its 2004 party manifesto, the Congress of Democrats (CoD) promises to increase old-age pensions to N$500 a month for all pensioners who are without any other pensions or means of income.They too, would ensure that this grant was adjusted periodically and brought into line with the annual inflation rate.”We will urgently introduce a basic income grant for the unemployed and all those in the low income categories,” the CoD promises.For its part, the South West Africa National Union (Swanu), says:”In recognition of the immense suffering of our elderly due to economic and social inequalities, Swanu shall increase the pensions and orphans payments to more than N$500 a month.”With more than 85 000 Namibians aged over 70, the desperate race for votes has intensified.According to a local research institute, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), pensioners would have received N$310 a month instead of N$250 during the 2003-04 financial year if their pensions been increased to meet the rise in inflation.And, if the grant had been increased in line with GDP per capita, old-age pensions could have stood at N$363 last year.Better yet – had their pensions been increased in line with the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate, senior citizens could have been receiving N$499 a month in the previous financial year instead of N$250, the IPPR concluded.The monthly pension grant is expected to reduce poverty because the elderly head many low-income households in Namibia with limited access to income-generating opportunities.Apart from pensioners themselves, the social pension supports unemployed adults, young grandchildren and other relatives.In Namibia, social pensions are funded directly from the national Budget and are financed through tax revenue to cater for the country’s estimated 85 000 pensioners.Before this year’s N$50 increase, Government had last adjusted pensions in February 2002, when it increased the welfare grant by N$50.- NampaThe DTA said it would provide a liveable social security pension that is adjusted annually to keep up with inflation.In its 2004 party manifesto, the Congress of Democrats (CoD) promises to increase old-age pensions to N$500 a month for all pensioners who are without any other pensions or means of income.They too, would ensure that this grant was adjusted periodically and brought into line with the annual inflation rate.”We will urgently introduce a basic income grant for the unemployed and all those in the low income categories,” the CoD promises.For its part, the South West Africa National Union (Swanu), says:”In recognition of the immense suffering of our elderly due to economic and social inequalities, Swanu shall increase the pensions and orphans payments to more than N$500 a month.”With more than 85 000 Namibians aged over 70, the desperate race for votes has intensified.According to a local research institute, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), pensioners would have received N$310 a month instead of N$250 during the 2003-04 financial year if their pensions been increased to meet the rise in inflation.And, if the grant had been increased in line with GDP per capita, old-age pensions could have stood at N$363 last year.Better yet – had their pensions been increased in line with the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate, senior citizens could have been receiving N$499 a month in the previous financial year instead of N$250, the IPPR concluded.The monthly pension grant is expected to reduce poverty because the elderly head many low-income households in Namibia with limited access to income-generating opportunities.Apart from pensioners themselves, the social pension supports unemployed adults, young grandchildren and other relatives.In Namibia, social pensions are funded directly from the national Budget and are financed through tax revenue to cater for the country’s estimated 85 000 pensioners.Before this year’s N$50 increase, Government had last adjusted pensions in February 2002, when it increased the welfare grant by N$50.- Nampa