Ngamiland DC defends pension staff

STATES MODIBATI | Tuesday May 21, 2013 00:00

'The arrears are always paid and to avoid late payments, the pensioners should always make life declarations to confirm that they are still living and if they fail to collect their dues, the money is returned to the revenue office,' Omogae Modimoopelo has told Mmegi. He dismissed accusations levelled against staff handling social benefit payments for the delay. He said some pensioners are highly mobile and cannot be located by paying officers.

At the time of going to press, the Maun Post Master was not available for comment. At the Post Office, Cecilia Gwabango of Khwai (74) who was in a long queue to receive her pension complained about unpaid arrears running into six months. 'They always tell me to go to the DC's office when I inquire about the arrears,' she said.

Another beneficiary at the Post Office, Kebonye Samakena (72) lamented that he has given up on his one month arrears from June last year because of being sent from pillar to post.  'They always advise me from the Post Office to see those handling age old pensioners' grievances at the DC's office to no avail up until now,' he recalled as he waited in the queue. Ngamiland regional chief pension officer, Onneile Radikolana explained that they always fail to reach the target number of beneficiaries because pensioners do not come to designated paying points like Dikgotla and cattle posts. 'We have an arrangement to visit those unable to collect their money at their homes on quarterly basis and sometimes we don't find some of them,' she said.

NWDC chairman, Latlhang Molonda promised that they will hold Kgotla meetings to explain the way forward for pensioners on how to get their arrears. He said old age pensioners should go back to the pension office to be advised on how to get their arrears. 'I will also talk to the DC about the issue because it needs to be addressed urgently,' he promised.  Monthly statistics summary report for November 2012 in Ngamiland indicate that 2,501 pensioners received their money and only 427 did not.  The report says the arrears are unpaid because of lost order books, untraceable pensioners, absenteeism, hospitalisation and death.