The Government Institution Fund (GIPF) recently announced it's plan to roll out pensioned backed home scheme. This is where public servants will use a portion of their pension in a form of a loan to build their houses. Although this idea may seems good to few of the public servants, this idea does not really solve the current financial distress and burden many workers in this sector faces .

The statistics currently inform us that out of 71 305 public servants in the country, about half these public servants are drowning in debts. Recently, we have witnessed two teachers from Ohangwena region ( Nestory Nanhinda (34 ) and Titus Nuuyi (34)) who committed suicide, all citing to issue of being in serious financial crisis.

It is on record that on your personal level as the Prime minister of the country, you expressed how financial difficult almost caused your life. Similarly, the president of the country ( Hon. Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah) expressed how she spends sleepless night over these young public servants committing suicide.

Therefore, if truly these bothers you Hon. Prime Minister together with the president, we suggest your office to review the idea of public servants getting a loan from their pension to build houses, to rather allow public servant claim a portion from their pension but not in a form of a loan . We suggest that public servants can claim even 30% from their pension to ensure it does not affect their pension too much. This will assist public servants to use this money to pay off some of their debts while they are still young and live a free and a happy life which is vital for the productivity in the workforce.

Lastly, we also suggest your office to host meetings in different towns and hear the views of public servants on this matter before implementing it.

We trust and value your timely feedback on this matters.

On behalf of other public servants

Petrus Ishitile Shiweva (a teacher )

0813372636