The Omaheke Regional Council, in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Social Welfare, is engaging the residents not to abuse their social grants.

The outreach programme is aimed at ensuring that social grants are directed to those who are genuinely in need without subjecting them to the cycle of debt and exploitation.

Speaking at the Oitara settlement in the Okorukambe Constituency, the Chairperson of the Omaheke Regional Council, Ignatius Kariseb, stressed that misuse of social grants is widespread.

The Minister of Finance has announced an increase in social grants to cushion vulnerable members of society against the rising cost of food prices.

Iipumbu Shiimi made the much-welcomed announcement in Parliament on Tuesday as he delivered the mid-term budget for the years 2022 to 2023.

The Finance Minister said N$5.2 million has been added to the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare's budget to make the increases possible.

Backdated to October 2022, the food bank recipients' grants will be increased from N$500 to N$600 per month.

A number of Angolans who have been living in Namibia for decades are still finding it difficult to acquire Namibian citizenship and are not benefiting from social safety nets.

68-year-old Johannes Tjivandu is one of them. He came to Namibia about 50 years ago, but he still does not qualify for any social benefits.

Tjivandu had been a farm worker for many years, but retired after he turned 60, and that is how he ended up living on the outskirts of Otjiwarongo, where he lives in a poorly erected corrugated iron structure.