New Era

WINDHOEK - The Basic Income Grant Coalition says the implementation of a national BIG in Namibia is now a matter of political will.

The coalition says a BIG of N$100 per month to every Namibian, although expensive, is affordable without affecting the country's economy negatively.

The coalition launched a one-year assessment report in which it suggests the Government look at other options such as moderate adjustment of Value Added Tax combined with an increase in income taxes, reprioritise the national budget and the introduction of special levies on natural resources to finance the grant.

In addition, optimising tax collection would ensure the country has enough money to fund the BIG. An econometric analysis found that Namibia's tax capacity exceeds 30 percent but that the current collection is below 25 percent.

Financing BIG would cost Namibia between N$1.2 billion and N$1.6 billion annually, which is close to 3 percent of the country's GDP.

The report found that the monthly N$100 grant to about 950 people of Otjivero in Omitara has reduced poverty and unemployment, increased economic activities and productivity and has also improved educational outcomes and the health status of the people.

According to the report, within one year of the implementation of BIG at Otjivero, household poverty dropped from 76 percent to 37 percent, child malnutrition went down from 42 percent to 10 percent, drop out rates at the school dropped with 40 percent while criminal activities also went down by 42 percent. Many HIV-positive residents are now on ARVs because they have access to food and have money for transport if they need to travel to the nearest town, says the report.

With these improvements to the community, where hopelessness was the order of the day, the coalition said Namibians should demand a BIG, which would assist the country to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

"BIG can be financed in Namibia, what is left is political will. Namibians have to say it all over the country loud and clear that we want a BIG now," said Labour Research and Resource Institute (LaRRI), Herbert Jauch, when he presented findings of the report.

The survey also found that some people have migrated to Otjivero because there is now hope they could eat food from their relatives.

Hilma Shindondola-Mote, Directorate of LaRRI, said this signalled that there is need to roll out the grant elsewhere to stem rural-urban migration.

"The influx to Otjivero is a good sign that if we do this to rural areas, people will go back. This is the answer to the influx of people to the cities," said BIG Coalition Chairman, Bishop Dr Zephaniah Kameeta.

Kameeta said the N$100 per month has not only created a sense of community in that people interact with one another, but it has also created a sense of ownership among the people themselves.

"They were owned by tragic circumstances, poverty, hopelessness, suffering and despair," he said, adding that people can now live in dignity as the grant has freed them to take their destiny into their own hands.

"It is my prayer that what is happening in Otjivero should be happening all over Namibia," he said.

The coalition has held meetings and made presentations to regional councillors on the BIG. Tomorrow the Nangof Forum will meet President Hifikepunye Pohamba, during which visit the issue will also be discussed.

Ten Members of Parliament have already visited Otjivero to get their impressions on the project, while the coalition is scheduled to make a presentation to National Council members on May 18.

The BIG pilot project started in Otjivero in January 2008. The N$100 grant is given to about 950 residents below the age of 60 years who were registered in July 2007.

The coalition was established in 2004 and it comprises the Council of Churches in Namibia, the Namibia Union of Namibia Workers, the Namibia NGO Forum and the Namibian Network of AIDS Service Organisations. The pilot project ends in December 2009.

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