Tax returns slow LPM scholarships
The //Karas regional council has created its own piggybank from its annual budget to finance the registration of needy students at various tertiary education while the much-touted Landless People’s Movement (LPM) scholarship fund is in limbo.
This project is supposed to be funded by annual tax returns from the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRa).
This was confirmed by LPM councillor and //Karas regional council chairperson Joseph Isaacks, who said they are in the mean time trying “to cover where [they] can” and are also assisting students to secure alternative funding such as bursaries or loans.
So far, about N$610 000 has been spent from the council budget to cover the costs of registration and ad hoc needs of students in the region - N$30 000 for each of the seven constituencies for 2021 and N$50 000 for each of the seven constituencies for this year.
Isaacks added that the LPM scholarship project – worth an estimated N$500 000 for the Hardap and //Karas regions - is partly on ice as they are waiting for the tax returns from NamRa which have been significantly delayed.
According to him, both the Hardap and //Karas regional councils resolved to allocate N$250 000 per region towards this scholarship fund, but they have since been forced to find alternative ways to assist students.
“Unfortunately, these refunds have not reached our bank account, but we have decided to take some money from our budget to assist students to register at tertiary education institutions. We helped students from each of the seven constituencies, and paid N$30 000 per constituency for 2021. For this academic year, the council has paid around N$400 000 from its budget. We went a little over budget - we had budgeted for N$350 000 only, but in reality, the funds are very limited,” he said.
Politically orchestrated
On the delay, LPM spokesperson Eneas Emvula said shortcomings come with every project, adding that the key is whether progress is being made.
He added these delays are also partly politically orchestrated, combined with the loss of household incomes over the last few years.
“This initiative is the first [of its kind] and it is not exempted from these kinds of realistic shortfalls. There is a difference between a shortcoming and a shortfall and there are efforts to ensure that people are accommodated in this particular programme.
“The money comes from the line ministry and the money comes from treasury. The utterances of the former education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa said the LPM councillors will fail because the line minister, Erastus Utoni, is a Swapo minister,” he said.
Govt financial woes
Meanwhile, in a statement issued last month, LPM youth leader Duminga Ndala announced that N$1.2 million has been set aside for tertiary education in //Karas; however, government’s financial troubles have put a damper on this initiative.
According to her, the money is earmarked for small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) development for young people.
“However, the minister announced that due to limited funding, they might slash that amount during the mid-term review.
“The budget is for youth development with a special focus on education studies. So, it’s inclusive of SME development, etc. Special focus on tertiary education means support will be given to those especially studying at institutions of higher learning.”
[email protected]
This project is supposed to be funded by annual tax returns from the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRa).
This was confirmed by LPM councillor and //Karas regional council chairperson Joseph Isaacks, who said they are in the mean time trying “to cover where [they] can” and are also assisting students to secure alternative funding such as bursaries or loans.
So far, about N$610 000 has been spent from the council budget to cover the costs of registration and ad hoc needs of students in the region - N$30 000 for each of the seven constituencies for 2021 and N$50 000 for each of the seven constituencies for this year.
Isaacks added that the LPM scholarship project – worth an estimated N$500 000 for the Hardap and //Karas regions - is partly on ice as they are waiting for the tax returns from NamRa which have been significantly delayed.
According to him, both the Hardap and //Karas regional councils resolved to allocate N$250 000 per region towards this scholarship fund, but they have since been forced to find alternative ways to assist students.
“Unfortunately, these refunds have not reached our bank account, but we have decided to take some money from our budget to assist students to register at tertiary education institutions. We helped students from each of the seven constituencies, and paid N$30 000 per constituency for 2021. For this academic year, the council has paid around N$400 000 from its budget. We went a little over budget - we had budgeted for N$350 000 only, but in reality, the funds are very limited,” he said.
Politically orchestrated
On the delay, LPM spokesperson Eneas Emvula said shortcomings come with every project, adding that the key is whether progress is being made.
He added these delays are also partly politically orchestrated, combined with the loss of household incomes over the last few years.
“This initiative is the first [of its kind] and it is not exempted from these kinds of realistic shortfalls. There is a difference between a shortcoming and a shortfall and there are efforts to ensure that people are accommodated in this particular programme.
“The money comes from the line ministry and the money comes from treasury. The utterances of the former education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa said the LPM councillors will fail because the line minister, Erastus Utoni, is a Swapo minister,” he said.
Govt financial woes
Meanwhile, in a statement issued last month, LPM youth leader Duminga Ndala announced that N$1.2 million has been set aside for tertiary education in //Karas; however, government’s financial troubles have put a damper on this initiative.
According to her, the money is earmarked for small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) development for young people.
“However, the minister announced that due to limited funding, they might slash that amount during the mid-term review.
“The budget is for youth development with a special focus on education studies. So, it’s inclusive of SME development, etc. Special focus on tertiary education means support will be given to those especially studying at institutions of higher learning.”
[email protected]
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article