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O País (File photo) / Changes in the social security regulations were approved yesterday by the Council of Ministers
The minimum period of social security contributions required to earn a pension is increasing from 10 to 20 years as a result of changes in the mandatory social security regulation approved by the Council of Ministers.
However, workers who reach retirement age before making all the necessary social security contributions will receive a reduced life pension, provided that they have paid a minimum of half the contributions.
The measure is one of the changes to the Mandatory Social Security Regulation approved by the 30th regular session of the Council of Ministers in Maputo yesterday.
Other innovations include the possibility of companies owing contributions to the National Social Security Institute entering into debt repayment contracts, and self-employed workers paying 12 months’ contributions in advance.
The Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Vitória Diogo, says the review aims to boost the effectiveness and efficiency of the Compulsory Social Security System.
“We introduced the reduced pension to solve a major problem and concern of workers who reach retirement time without having contributed enough time. In these cases, the current system gives the worker a lump sum and, of course, once he has used this up he doesn’t have any source of income or social protection. With this innovation, workers who have paid at least half of the contributions will benefit from a reduced life-long pension,” Diogo said.
She pointed out that the current Mandatory Social Security Regulation was conceived ten years ago and needed reforms to adapt it to the current socioeconomic stage of the country, because, said the minister, over the years the system has undergone transformations, namely changing from manual management where payments were made by check or “cash” to bank transactions.
“It is important to take into account that our social security system was created in 1989 and we have a maturity of 27 years. It is important to adopt innovative measures and mechanisms that allow greater efficiency and effectiveness in the management of this system and in the collection of contributions,” noted Vitória Diogo.
Other matters
Also yesterday, the government approved the draft law of the state business sector that will be submitted to the approval of the Assembly of the Republic. The document, according to the session’s spokeswoman, Ana Comoana, establishes general principles and rules applicable to the State’s business sector, namely public companies and those that are mostly owned by the State.
“The main goal is to provide the state business sector with a legal framework that can promote greater efficiency and economic sustainability,” said the spokeswoman.
At the same session, the executive announced improvements in the stage of chronic malnutrition in the country, which reduced from 43 percent to 41 percent, thanks to advances in some indicators such as reducing the number of children born with low birth weight.
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