IN the wake of revelations of massive looting at the National Social Security Authority (Nssa) and the arrest of Tourism Minister Priscah Mupfumira on charges of criminal abuse of office, stemming from a forensic audit report of the State pensions administrator, the opposition MDC has called for reforms around the pay-outs to retired citizens.
In a statement Thursday, MDC secretary for public service Maureen Kademaunga expressed alarm at the extent of the looting arguing little will change despite the arrests under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.
“Nonetheless, guided by our conscience and core values of justice and fairness, we are taking it upon ourselves to stand in defense of the vulnerable pensioner. Hence in the short term, the MDC through its parliamentary deployees will push for a Pension Reform Act that will necessitate the creation of a Pension Reform Task-force which seeks to: guarantee the provision of adequate and viable retirement income to all Nssa contributors, protect the vulnerable against livelihoods risk due to corruption and undue political interference
“Improve the hygiene and governance practice of the organisation especially ensuring that the responsible Minister and Treasury must not have disproportionate power over the pension fund,” Kademaunga said.
She added that the reforms must also look into the possibility of ensuring that there must be a clear separation between Nssa’s investment arm and the wing that deals with the administration of pensions.
“Internal and external governance mechanisms and investment controls must be put in place in order to isolate pension reserve funds effectively from undue political influence.
“The Act must empower the Pension Reform Task-force to embark on a robust reform of Nssa exercise that will cure the current problems such as the fact that the pension fund is not shielded from political pressure, investment policies do not respect guidance regarding risk exposure and accountability to members is weak,” she said.
Nssa lost millions in shadowy investments made by the board reportedly under the direction of successive ministers and Mupfumira seems to have become the proverbial sacrificial lamp.
Former board chairperson Robin Vela in a High Court application seeking the setting aside of the forensic audit report claimed another former Public Service Minister Petronella Kagonye forced Nssa to shell out US$400 000 into her pre-election campaign activities before last year’s polls.
Kademaunga said while the corruption at Nssa looks like mere figures, there are lives at risk of real people who will suffer as a result.
“The corruption within Nssa might look like mere figures, but quite sadly they have far reaching socio-economic implications on the livelihoods of pensioners. At the center of the effects of the Nssa scandal is the failure by the institution to honor its obligations on pensions.
“After decades of hard work and deductions, retirees become paupers due to the avarice of corrupt politicians who seek to profit at the expense of the impoverished workers,” Kademaunga said adding “the criminals must not go unpunished but beyond the punitive measures that we expect to be taken against those who have been caught with their fingers in the pie, the MDC proposes systemic and structural reforms of the public pension fund.”
