Africa-Press – Namibia. THE minister of defence and veterans affairs has revealed that 6 091 children of war veterans are currently benefiting from the war veteran fund.
Of these, 804 are under the age of 18, while 5 287 are older than 18. Frans Kapofi recently responded to a question in parliament by Popular Democratic Movement member of parliament Manuel Ngaringombe regarding veterans of the liberation struggle’s registration and compensation.
The majority of these children receive the monthly benefit from the monthly grants of their deceased parents until they reach the age of 18. Thereafter the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs takes care of their education and training needs in the form of a grant.
Kapofi said there are currently 1 008 children who have received education and training grants. “These benefits are as per Section 32 of the Veterans Act,” the minister said.
From 2009 to September this year, the government spent over N$4,2 billion on the monthly allowances of 18 663 veterans. From 2020 until the end of September, N$1,5 billion was spent on 30 223 veterans in the form of a once-off gratuity of
N$50 000 for war veterans who participated in liberation activities between 1959 and 1990, and N$20 000 for those who participated between 1988 and 1990.
The government has also funded 10 448 veterans’ projects out of 21 526 applicants. Kapofi told the parliament that over N$2 billion was spent on 11 057 individual veterans’ projects from 2011 to September this year.
Another N$1,6 billion was spent on 7 273 veterans in the form of the Improvement Welfare Grant. “In total, an amount of N$9 731 809 862 has so far been spent on all the different programmes,” Kapofi said.
Ngaringombe also wanted to know why some of those who qualified for the project funds have not received such benefits. “It is actually the government’s desire to see all projects funded. However, there are insufficient funds due to the economic downturn,” the minister said.
Some N$32 million received between 2014 and 2019 from the governmental objective quota for veterans, however, was spent on projects that never took off.
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