Staff Reporter
The Vice President, Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, announced her intention to increase the old-age pension to N$3,000 if elected as the next President of Namibia.
She made it clear that her intention to increase the old-age pension is aimed at honouring the legacy and wishes of the late President Hage Geingob.
“You will agree with me that it is not easy to double the old-age pension grant during a period of economic contraction. Yet, President Geingob did exactly that in 2016 when we doubled the old-age pension grant from 600 NAD to 1200 NAD. If elected President of the Republic of Namibia, I commit to fulfilling the wish of President Geingob to increase the old-age pension to 3,000 Namibian Dollars,” she said.
The Vice President made these remarks at the Dr. Hage G. Geingob Memorial Lecture, held this past weekend in Ongwediva, Oshana Region. The lecture aimed to honour Geingob’s legacy as a leader and was held under the theme “His Legacy Lives On.”
“The ideas, the deeds, and the indelible footprints of President Geingob, which oblige us to convene here, are a powerful testimonial of a life of courage, sacrifice, and a life well-lived in service of the Namibian people, Africa, and humanity at large. It is indeed fitting that we are laying the bricks that will ensure that his legacy lives on,” she added.
Nandi-Ndaitwah highlighted Geingob’s vast legacy as a leader shaped by the circumstances of Apartheid-occupied Namibia and the liberation struggle. She pointed out that he led the country through numerous challenges, including the severe drought between 2016 and 2019 and the Covid-19 pandemic.
She also praised the late president for conceptualising effective governance in Namibia, creating a template based on processes, systems, and institutions.
“When in doubt, President Geingob always referred to processes, systems, and institutions to serve as the final arbiters in governance. In doing so, President Geingob contributed immensely to the strengthening of our Governance Architecture,” the Vice President added.
