Acting Public Affairs Manger for the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Charles Akwei Garshong, has indicated that the responsibility of SSNIT is to provide and secure a better future for every Ghanaian worker.
According to him, the establishment of the institution by the constitution of the country is to serve as “hope” for retired Ghanaian workers.
During an interview with Samuel Eshun, host of Happy98.9 FM’s “Happy Morning Show,” Mr. Garshong said, “Our work or core mandate is to ensure that every Ghanaian worker who goes on retirement would get their pension. The Law and government created SSNIT to give future hope to Ghanaian workers so that in any event that Ghanaian workers can longer work, SSNIT comes through for us every month till we meet our demise.
The SSNIT Spokesperson also note that, irrespective of the occupation every Ghanaian worker is entitled to be a beneficiary of SSNIT
“The Waakye seller, the fisherman, market women, farmers all have the right to join SSNIT. Most of the time Ghanaians have misconstrued the concept of SSNIT to be beneficial to just office workers. However that’s it the case. Once you’re a Ghanaian worker, the law makes it clear that you’re eligible to join SNNIT so that once on retirement you can receive your monthly pensions,” he added.
The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) is a statutory public Trust charged under the National Pensions Act, 2008 Act 766 with the administration of Ghana’s Basic National Social Security Scheme. Its mandate is to cater for the First Tier of the Three-Tier Pension Scheme. The Trust is currently the largest non-bank financial institution in Ghana.
The primary responsibility of the Trust is to replace part of lost income of workers in Ghana due to Old Age, Invalidity or Death of a member where dependants receive lump sum payment. It is also responsible for the payment of Emigration benefit to a non-Ghanaian member who is leaving Ghana permanently.
The Pension Scheme as administered by SSNIT has an active membership of over 1.6 million as at January, 2021 with over 226,000 pensioners who regularly receive their monthly pensions from SSNIT.