Stefanus Nashama
The City of Windhoek’s Former Mayor and Affirmative Repositioning Leader, Job Amupanda has expressed his satisfaction with the Government Institutions Pension Funds’ pension-backed home loan initiative.
Amupanda yesterday told the Windhoek Observer that he is happy that after several years of advocacy and drumming of superior logic, the Government Institutions Pension Funds (GIPF) has understood and acted on the side of the workers.
This follows after the outgoing GIPF Chief Executive Officer David Nuyoma recently said the fund expects to finally roll out pension-backed home loans to help workers secure houses in the coming weeks.
Nuyoma said that the pension home loan scheme mooted by the GIPF will allow its members to use their pensions as collateral to purchase a house or carry out renovations and will also allow funding for the construction of property even in rural areas.
Amupanda said that he has been waiting for this to happen because he stood opposed to the idea of government employees suffering while on earth to enjoy benefits in heaven when in fact the same GIPF has created a heaven on earth for others over the years in what he called “unlisted investments”.
According to him, unlisted investments are an agenda and ideology for government employees to suffer while working and enjoy later, while others ‘elite’ are enjoying the workers’ money.
“This ideology has indeed been pushed back where it is supposed to be. It is a wonderful development and I am glad that we are here. Mr Nuyoma now heads into retirement having touched the hearts of thousands of government employees,” he said.
However, Amupanda warned the GIPF to ensure the program is not abused since people have different intentions, adding that monitoring and evaluation of this program should be in place.
“There is a need for necessary monitoring and evaluation. We don’t want the money to be used to pay for prostitution and alcohol. If we allow loopholes our efforts as a collective would be in vain. Not everyone has the same intention,” he emphasized.
He said these initiatives generally arrive at a time after he analyses the social conditions of the people.
Amupanda, who has been demanding that the GIPF make benefits available to employees while working, said there has been little indigenisation of the financial systems in the country which pushed the system into a situation where housing finance is monopolized by private banks.
“While I await the actual text, I can confirm that as activists for social justice, we are indeed elated by this final capitulation on behalf of our people. We are very happy. In a developmental state we seek, the state takes the lead in defining and directing development. When the state embarks upon more of these initiatives, we will be able to achieve our goals of a harmonious society and developmental aspirations,” Amupanda stated.
