Published on 10 October, 2023.

The Director General of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang, has bemoaned the number of self-employed persons who are rendered poor when they are old and get permanently incapacitated unable to fend for themselves.

He urged self-employed persons to enroll onto the scheme to eradicate old age poverty.

The SSNIT Director General made this known, when SSNIT in collaboration with Trade Unions Congress (TUC) of Ghana held a sensitization forum in Wa in the Upper West region.

Ten associations including Upper West Tailors and Dressmakers Association, Upper West Plumbers Association, Wa Market Women and Association among others were taken through Self-Employed Enrollment Drive (SEED) programme.

Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang noted that over the years, SSNIT has concentrated so much on the formal sector and that the informal sector has many eligible persons who have limited knowledge on the operations of SSNIT.

According to him, the advent of advanced technology and digitalization has made it easy for people to make contributions from any location using mobile phones and also to have their documents processed within 10 days for their lump sum.

“Previously we had challenges with paying on time but this has become a thing of the past. With our monthly payments, we do it on the third Thursday of every month. If you know any-one with any challenge, just report to the nearest office and it would be resolved in less than three days,” he said.

He however said it is factually inaccurate to suggest that SSNIT payments are low and urged the public to disregard such claims.

“SSNIT is a pension scheme not an insurance scheme. We insure your salary. The longer a client has been on the Scheme the higher the percentage of the amount they would be paid as allowance on their highest annual income paid,” he said.

The SSNIT Director General dispelled claims that SSNIT is at the verge of collapse hence their attempt to bring in the self-employed.

“The Scheme has been growing from strength to strength and has been able to promptly make payments to their contributors hence is very solvent financially,” he said.

By Eric Kombat, Wa

Source: https://dailyguidenetwork.com/join-ssnit-to-eradicate-old-age-poverty/