Guyana: NIS Vouchers Can Now Be Encased at MMG, Bill Express, Moneygram

NIS pensioners in Guyana now have additional options for receiving their payments, as they can encash their vouchers at Mobile Money Guyana (MMG), Bill Express, and Massy’s Moneygram. This development was announced by Ramesh Persaud, Chairman of the NIS Board.

MMG clarified that beneficiaries who choose to receive their pension payments through their platform can cash out at authorized MMG agents across the country. However, it is important to note that physical NIS vouchers cannot be encashed at MMG agents. Pensioners interested in utilizing MMG must provide their MMG account details to NIS to facilitate direct payments.

The new payment options were officially launched during the 600th monthly board meeting. Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh highlighted that NIS pensioners can now encash their vouchers at 52 Bill Express locations, 55 Moneygram outlets, and 4,672 MMG locations, totaling 4,779 new encashment points. Previously, nearly 40,000 of the over 60,000 NIS pensioners could only encash vouchers at a limited number of commercial banks, 14 NIS offices, or 63 post offices nationwide.

Dr. Singh emphasized the importance of convenience for pensioners, stating, “There is absolutely no reason why they should have to join a line and wait on their pension.” Currently, around 20,000 NIS pensioners receive their pensions directly into their bank accounts, a significant increase from 11,932 in 2020.

Dr. Singh encouraged the remaining 39,052 pensioners still receiving payments by book to consider direct bank transfers. He also urged NIS to initiate a public communications campaign to assist pensioners in making this transition.

Additionally, Mr. Persaud noted that the number of claims has decreased to under 3,000 per month, with approximately 2,000 claims processed within two weeks. The NIS is also working on developing online platforms to facilitate communication with beneficiaries from home.

Source: demerarawaves.com