Published on 14 December, 2021.

The second edition of the 2021 SSNIT Employers Breakfast Meeting took place on Tuesday, 9th November 2021, at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Kumasi after a successful meeting in Accra the previous week.

The meetings are meant to strengthen the relationship between the Trust and Employers, especially the compliant ones and deepen employers’ understanding of the operations of the SSNIT Scheme.

The Employers Breakfast Meeting which was held under the theme, “Social Security: Employer Compliance and its impact on business and employee morale” was attended by 59 selected employers.

In a speech, the Director-General, Dr John Ofori-Tenkorang, said the Employers Breakfast Meeting creates the platform for SSNIT to account for its stewardship of workers contributions, provide clarity on social security issues and enhance the excellent working relationship between the Trust and its valued partners.

“As an institution, we proudly acknowledge you, our Compliant Employers for their exemplary response to their legal obligations imposed on them by the National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766)”, he added.

Dr Ofori-Tenkorang said these Employers have dutifully, voluntarily and consistently paid SSNIT contributions to the Trust on behalf of their employees.

He stressed that it was important for employers to know and appreciate the value of the social security contributions.

The Director-General urged Employers not to see the payment of Social Security as a response to the demands of the law but as a contribution to the economic wellbeing and the future of their workers.

“When employees know that the employer cares about them, it enhances their commitment, loyalty, boosts morale and improves productivity”, he added.

Dr Ofori-Tenkorang emphasised that the Trust has now shifted focus from enforcing compliance to building a close relationship with employers, leading to voluntary compliance.

He said the Trust has recognised that one effective way to build the relationship was to introduce SSNIT Compliance Officers to function as Relationship Officers.

“The Compliance Officers are your go-to persons in matters relating to the operations of the Scheme. The Compliance Officers will assist employers in registering newly engaged employees, facilitating the processing of Contribution Reports, and reminding employers of their payment schedules to avoid penalties”, the Director-General added.

He said the Trust recognises the critical link employers provide between SSNIT and workers.

“You deduct 5.5% from their salaries and add your portion of 13% (making 18.5%). Out of this, you remit 5% to your tier 2 provider and 13.5% to SSNIT. SSNIT then passes 2.5% to NHIS and keeps 11% which is managed towards pension. I cannot speak for tier 2, but I can say that you have diligently discharged your obligation to SSNIT over the past twelve months.

Thank you for your model behaviour”, Dr Ofori-Tenkorang commended the employers.

He assured the employers that the Trust takes no delight in taking legal action against them, “But if we do not prosecute defaulting employers, we will not be able to fulfil our obligation to pay retirement benefits to your workers. When you default in paying contributions, these monies become debts, which we must collect. If we fail to collect these debts, it does not relieve us of our responsibility and obligation to the worker.”

Dr Ofori-Tenkorang said that as part of measures to enhance service delivery for ease of access and convenience for the Trust’s Members and Clients, advanced technological platforms, which will include Mobile Money and Direct Debit Bank, will be rolled out soon. He was optimistic that these platforms would aid employers to discharge their obligations to the Trust effectively. 

Earlier in her remarks, the Deputy Director-General, Operations and Benefits, Mrs Laurette Otchere, commended the compliant employers for their exemplary conduct on willingly remitting the monthly contributions of 13.5% per their workers to SSNIT.

Mrs Otchere encouraged the employers to update their records as Members and the records of their businesses with the Trust.

She said updating their contact details, and the list of their beneficiaries will ensure that benefits are paid to the right people when a Member passes on.

Mrs Otchere said the Trust would not shield employers unwilling to pay contributions for staff on probation or temporary employees.

She said all workers, whether permanent or on contract, have the right to social security and must not be denied.

In all, 144 selected employers and stakeholders and other staff participated in Breakfast Meetings held at Labadi and Kumasi. The Deputy Director-General, Investment and Development, Mr Kofi Osafo-Maafo, Ag. General Manager, MIS, Mr Godson Ladzekpo, Corporate Affairs Manager, Ms Afua Sarkodie, Actuarial Manager, Mrs Evelyn Adjei, the Kumasi Area Manager, Mr Alhassan Mahamadu and other SSNIT Managers were in attendance.