Omaheke social grants top N$12 million

More than N$12 million in social grants was disbursed to over 17 600 beneficiaries in the Omaheke Region during the reporting period.

Governor Pijoo Nganate revealed the figures during his State of the Region Address this week.

He said social protection programmes continued to play a critical role in supporting the region's most vulnerable residents.

According to Nganate, government disbursed N$12 million in social grants to 17 614 eligible beneficiaries across the region during the financial year.

"The social protection programmes continued to provide an essential safety net to vulnerable households," Nganate said.

Vulnerable households

While welcoming the impact of the grants, the governor expressed concern over the exploitation of beneficiaries by informal lenders and businesses extending credit on what he described as unfair terms.

He accused some cash loan operators of charging interest rates of up to 30%, trapping beneficiaries in cycles of debt and making it difficult for them to escape financial hardship.

Nganate also criticised the practice of selling alcohol on credit to grant recipients, saying it further entrenches poverty among already vulnerable households.

He urged communities to help protect beneficiaries from exploitative lending practices and called on those involved to abandon what he described as unethical behaviour. "As community members, we have to safeguard these wrong practices," he said.

The governor warned that businesses exploiting grant recipients should reconsider their conduct, arguing that financial gain achieved through the exploitation of vulnerable people could not be justified.

His remarks come as social grants continue to serve as a primary source of income for thousands of households across the Omaheke Region, highlighting both the importance of the government's social protection programmes and the need to shield beneficiaries from financial exploitation.

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