Nssa engages Parly over its operations
THE National Social Security Authority (Nssa) has engaged the Parliament of Zimbabwe
in an effort to explain its operations and ensure increased public awareness regarding
social security matters.
This comes after some pensioners and contributors had reportedly approached
Parliament expressing discontent about problems in accessing their benefits, as well as
the low monthly payouts.
In response, the Parliament Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour, and Social
Welfare sought clarity from Nssa, which organised a workshop for the committee in
Victoria Falls last Thursday and Friday.
The workshop was meant to educate Parliamentarians on Nssa operations and was
attended by the Portfolio Committee members and Nssa officials.
Speaking at the event, Nssa board chair Dr Emmanuel Fundira said the workshop sought
to equip all stakeholders with information regarding social security issues.
“While I am aware of the negative perception, which is out there towards Nssa, I believe
that will change during the rebuilding exercise that the board shall oversee. This is an apt
moment for Nssa to rebuild and ensure the welfare of our beneficiaries,” said Dr Fundira
in a speech read on his behalf.
Nssa acting general manager Dr Charles Shava said the workshop was part of
engagements to make sure legislators understand how Nssa services its clients and the
limitations encountered.
“This has happened in the past but in this particular occasion, we have a lot of our
stakeholders who are mainly our pensioners and beneficiaries to our schemes who have
gone to Members of Parliament to try and find out exactly why they are not getting
enough benefits,” he said.
“As you are aware we are in an inflationary environment we then took it upon ourselves
to make sure that we bring the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Labour so that we
share with them how Nssa operates,” said Dr Shava.
Dr Emmanuel Anesu Fundira
He said a lot of people contribute to Nssa but do not know how the entity operates or its
organisation hence the importance of engaging with the parliamentarians.
There are also perceptions that Nssa has a lot of money but does not pay beneficiaries,
while many pensioners and beneficiaries have complained about challenges accessing
their dues, said Dr Shava.
In order to bridge the information gap, he said Nssa has undertaken a lot of strategies
such as media awareness campaigns, and road shows, among others to cascade
information to citizens.
“With all the information that we have shared with them, we expect that they go to their
constituencies and educate stakeholders about Nssa services. We are also deliberately
going out there in the rural areas with marketing teams to educate stakeholders on Nssa
products,” he said.
“Yes, we collect a lot of money but what we pay out as benefits is limited by a lot of
things including the economy, the amount of money that we actually collect from
workers, and so on.”
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee chair, Emma Ncube, said Parliament was
inundated bycomplaints from disgruntled contributors and beneficiaries.
“We came to Victoria Falls to attend this workshop by Nssa after the committee
requested to have this engagement so that they can explain what exactly they do and how
they harness and distribute their money and what benefits are there for workers,” she
said.
“We were receiving a lot of complaints and petitions from people saying Nssa was paying
them peanuts every month but we could not be in a position to respond because we had
no information.
“After they have updated us as honourable members we now know how to explain where
and how Nssa is getting money and using it.
“Pensioners are crying to the Public Service Commission and Ministry of Public Service
that pensions are not coming in time and are too little, and so we are going to compile a
report and present it in Parliament so that all MPs will be able to debate about Nssa
operations and what they expect,” she said. —chronicl.co.zw
