Imelda Ambondo
National Democratic Party Leader, Martin Lukato has called on the government to honour the promise of paying pensioners N$3000 per month made by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in 2024.
Giving his contribution to the budget debate in parliament this week, Lukato said the current N$100 increase made to pension grants falls short of promise.
The current increase will pensioners earning N$1700 from N$1600.
“The N$100.00 now being budgeted as an increment for the senior citizens is a default on the promise made last year in which senior citizens were previously promised N$3000,”Lukato said.
He said that elderly people deserve better support.
“We must prioritise the elderly not just as a matter of policy, but as a matter of principle and moral duty,”he said.
Lukato also raised concern about corruption, saying: “It is shameful to witness the budgeted money being siphoned and failing to reach the people.”
On education, he argued that more funding is needed due to poor infrastructure and lack of learning materials. “Many learners and students are either sharing textbooks or are without textbooks at all,” he said.
He also highlighted health challenges, especially malaria, saying: “This disease is preventable and curable, yet it is once again claiming lives.”
Lukato further called for increased funding for the army, youth programmes, and the justice system, noting that courts are struggling with a backlog of cases.
He urged action from the government: “Let us move from promises to action, from policies to impact, and from waiting to working.”
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