PSPF hails ‘impressive’ monthly remittances

BERNARD LUGONGO

THE Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF) has described as ‘an impressive’ trend in government’s disbursement of monthly contributions for its employees to the latter.

The PSPF told the ‘Daily News’ yesterday that comparing previous years, from this financial year the government has ‘never skipped’ paying contributions which amounts to 42bn/- every month.

PSPF Director of Operations Ms Neema Muro explained that the monthly contributions from the government were being received within 10 days of the following month. “As we speak, the government had already paid all contributions for last November.

We are only waiting for contributions for December,” Ms Muro said at the sidelines of the seminar for lawyers working in the district offices. She noted that in the previous the contributions from the government were delayed even for three or four months.

The good news comes as the government recently announced to have paid arrears amounted to 722.7bn/- it owed the pension funds as a move to improve them.

Premier Kassim Majaliwa said when he addressed the stakeholders’ meeting in Arusha that the money paid was part of 964.2bn/- that the pension funds were demanding from the government as contributions from members. Yesterday’s seminar brought together about 35 lawyers from all districts in Dar es Salaam whom were educated on various activities done by the PSPF.

The seminar also aimed at building capacity among the participants to enable them properly handle legal issues brought by the citizens regarding the PSPF.

Legal Officer at the Dar es Salaam Regional Administration’s Office, Ms Fabiola Mwingira, said the seminar came following the tour of the city by the Regional Commissioner, Mr Paul Makonda, last month. During the tour, Mr Makonda held public rallies at which residents were given a chance to air their opinions and grievances, which were immediately resolved.

Ms Mwingira said it was noticed that many of the issues raised during the rallies were to do with laws, some of them relating to the social security funds, particularly benefits.

Speaking on behalf of Mr Makonda as guest of honour at the event, Assistant Regional Administrative Secretary, Ms Merry Assey, among others, commended the PSPF for introducing several new benefits, including education loan. She called on the Fund to continue educating regional authorities to enable them properly attend to cases brought to them.