The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) got land for the construction of a new N$38.3 million office complex at Ondangwa in the Oshana Region.

The Fund held a groundbreaking ceremony, paving the way for the construction of a new facility on Friday, 30 September 2022.

“The GIPF has adopted a member centric outreach strategy that focusses on ensuring the accessibility of GIPF services at the convenience of our members. The Fund therefore makes efforts towards decentralizing its operations with the aim to make services accessible to all members,” said Ms Nilian Mulemi, Chairperson of the GIPF Board of Trustees.

Mulemi added that, “in an attempt to ensure the Fund delivers GIPF services in a conducive environment to the members in Ondangwa and surrounding areas, the Fund took a strategic decision to acquire its own office complex in the town of Ondangwa to attend to the growing number of members in this area”.

In a speech read on his behalf, the Governor of Oshana Region, Mr Elia Irimari, welcomed the development of this new N$38.3 million building to his region.

“My people in Ondangwa, Okatjali, Uukwiyuushona, Okaku, Olukonda, Onayena, Onyaanya, Oniipa and Omulonga and I are grateful for the expected temporary employment created in the construction process and for the new look which the town is about to undergo since the new building is anticipated to be a state-of-of-the-art structure,” Irimari remarked.

The governor pledged his continuous support to the Fund and implored all GIPF members to ensure that their member details are in order, that they are enrolled on the Fund’s recently launched biometric system in order to ensure benefits are paid out on time.

In addition to this, the Mayor of Ondangwa, Mr Paavo Amwele, remarked that the GIPF has invested over N$306 million in the Oshana region of which over N$110 million is invested in Ondangwa through land servicing and construction for the benefit of those that reside in surrounding areas.

Notable projects include investments into the Gwashamba Mall and the landmark Ongwediva MediPark Private Hospital and numerous land servicing projects.

“The new facility will provide adequate space for our staff and GIPF members, and we anticipate that when the office is fully developed it will also have additional offices that will be up for rental which we foresee as a further investment in the development of Ondangwa,” remarked GIPF CEO Mr David Nuyoma when he thanked the stakeholders who were in attendance.

“Today`s ground-breaking event formed part of the GIPF`s strategy to ensure that the Fund responds to the plea by our members for a conducive and adequate office space environment. We believe that this intervention will immensely improve our service delivery,” said Nuyoma.

In the photo: GIPF Board chairperson Ms Nilian Mulemi throwing the first shovel signifying the construction of GIPF office in Ondangwa.