Monalisa Dube
The National Social Security Authority (NSSA) recorded a 21 percent increase in claims and benefits from $142.7 million in 2016 to $172.3 million as at 31 December 2017.
NSSA acting general manager Emerson Mungwariri attributed the increase to the current economic situation which has resulted in more pensioners claiming their benefits.
According to Mungwariri: “The economic hardships being faced by most pensioners have resulted in the increase in the number of claims as more who previously did not bother to claim are submitting their claims, resulting in a surge in the payment of pension arrears.”
NSSA increased its minimum pension from $60 to $80 in October last year. This shot up the monthly pension bill by an average $1.6 million. In December 2017, pensioners also received a full month’s bonus for the first time.
NSSA achieved a surplus of $149 million in 2017 compared to $109 million in 2016 which Mungwariri attributed to increased investment income and less write downs.
“Investment income increased by 133 percent from $23.5million in 2016 to $54.6 million in 2017,” Mungwariri explained. “This is attributable to the increased amount invested in the money market and treasury bills which partly offset the decline in interest rates, capital uplifts on loans and advances, and bad debt recoveries.”
Payments for accident prevention and workers’ compensation decreased from $7.4 million in 2016 to $6.3 million in 2017 due to the reduction in fatalities and injuries from 5,419 in 2016 to 5,072 in 2017.
In an interview with Business Times, Dr Betty Nyereyegona, NSSA’s chief occupational safety and health and compensation officer, credited the reduction in injuries in the workplace to the safety campaign undertaken by NSSA in October last year.
She said “the number of recorded injuries and fatalities have gone down due to the different efforts put in by NSSA. We have noted that there is more appreciation in industry in general regarding health and safety issues.
“Organisations have to realise that protective clothing such as helmets are the least of the health and safety concerns, but they have to adopt and strengthen their safety systems,” Dr Nyereyegona said. “We are targeting the leaders of organisations, especially the CEOs, so that they prioritise issues to do with health and safety.”
She added that NSSA was working with the trade unions and its promotional team to incorporate the informal sector in health and safety issues in order to improve the workplace environment nationwide.
