In Antananarivo, a hundred or so trade unionists and retirees gathered on Monday, May 23, in front of the National Social Insurance Fund (Cnaps), to demand the application of the texts in force concerning the payment of pensions. They hoped to be received by the management, but they found the door closed. At a time when inflation is wreaking havoc on the population a little more each day, everyone intends to make their voices heard and win their case.
Report in Ampefiloha, at the foot of the huge Cnaps tower, with our correspondent Sarah Tetaud.
In the middle of the crowd, Martin Rakotondrazaka, 80 years old. This retiree, trained and graduated with a master’s degree in Germany, worked for more than 35 years in industry, as a specialist in machinery. His pension barely exceeds 40 euros.
“ Today, I receive 200,000 ariary per month. It is not at all, at all enough to live on. That’s why I’m forced to raise poultry and grow crops, myself, at 81 years old. Fortunately, with my daughter who is a teacher and who lives with me, we pool my small pension and her salary. And then, you could say that I’m a little favored because I can still use my hands to make what is needed at home he says.
In his hand, a notebook darkened with lines of calculations. Since 2001, the date of his retirement, he believes that the Cnaps has failed to pay him 49.65 million ariary, more than 11,000 euros: “ We, retirees, were really very wronged by the Cnaps because it does not apply the decrees in force. »
Starting with the decree issued in 2019 on the revaluation of pensions, but which was never implemented.
The Randrana union, an alliance of trade union confederations of workers, and their coordinator Leontine Mbola are fighting alongside these cheated retirees: “ Today, there are many pensioners who are in extreme poverty. They spent their life working and, in the end, despite their contributions throughout their lives, they received a tiny sum for the reimbursement of their retirement contributions. It is claimed that these retirees receive a pension every month (instead of every quarter as is currently the case, editor’s note) and that we increase by 30 % the amount of their pension. »
The criteria for receiving a full-rate pension (approximately 65% of the last salary) as an employee of the private sector remain very restrictive today: having contributed 60 quarters (15 years) including 28 quarters in a row without interruption during the ten last years of work.
The unions also point the finger at the catastrophic management of the Cnaps, whose investments, donations or support in recent years have led part of its management team (in particular the last two general managers) to be imprisoned for embezzlement.