Accra-Ghana, Aug 25, GNA – The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has begun an initiative to encourage informal sector workers to get enrolled on the scheme.
Staff from the Trust took to the streets of Accra’s Central Business District on Friday to promote the “Ye Wor Abontin” project, a Self-Employed Enrolment Drive (SEED) programme launched last May to get more people to enrol in the pension scheme.
SSNIT has dedicated the last Friday of every month to the nationwide exercise to enable staff of the Trust to visit business enclaves and other public places to educate and enrol formal and informal sector workers between the ages of 15 and 45 years on the scheme.
Personnel from the Trust pitched camp at the Rawlings Park in Accra, where they engaged and enrolled some traders on the scheme.
Mr Michael Addo, the Deputy Director of SSNIT in Charge of Finance and Administration, stated that the Trust is a government entity tasked with providing pension coverage to every eligible worker in Ghana.
“As good and secure as the pension is, only about 2 per cent of the 1.9 million workers who have insured their incomes with us are self-employed. This means several millions of workers have no assurance of monthly pensions during their old age and this is heartbreaking and scary,” he said.
Mr Addo stated that by signing up and making monthly contributions, self-employed persons are entitled to the same benefits as employees in the formal sector.
He said that the SSNIT Scheme was now the only insurance scheme that provides protection against loss of income, disability, and coverage for survivors without the requirement for multiple premiums.
Ms Pearl Nana Ama Darko, Deputy Director in charge of Operations and Benefits, asked personnel of the Trust to contribute to the initiative’s success.
She stated that each member of staff was assigned the duty of enrolling at least three self-employed employees each month and maintaining ties with clients to guarantee that they voluntarily pay their contributions.
“We must be involved, irrespective of our job schedule or rank, to ensure that self-employed persons understand the value the Scheme offers and voluntarily join to safeguard their future,” she said.
