The Government, since 2017, has paid close to six billion Ghana cedis to clear the social security contributions owed by previous administrations, Ms Emefa Agonyo, the SSNIT Public Affairs Officer, has said.
Also, more than 500 employers of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), including government employees, have arranged for terms of settlement of their indebtedness to the scheme.
She said the Trust continued to actively engage those entities to pay their workers’ contributions by the 14th day of the ensuing month to avoid penalties.
“We constantly put in measures to strengthen our compliance efforts to reduce debt owed,” Ms Agonyo said at the Ghana News Agency platform to discuss issues of national interest.
She explained that as at the end of October 2021 the private sector entities owed SSNIT to the tune of GHC230 million.
Speaking on the topic: “Sustainability of the SSNIT Scheme: Measures, Policy Interventions to deal with it,” Ms Agonyo said in 2020 and 2021, the Trust spent GH¢3.3 billion and GH¢3.6 billion, respectively, in benefits payment.
These covered pensions, old-age lump sum, invalidity, refund of contributions, survivors lump sum, and emigration benefit.
On the status of the merger of the SSNIT and Ghana cards, Ms Agonyo said the exercise, which started in June 2021, was progressing steadily and formed part of the measures to secure the scheme from fraudsters.
She explained that the exercise would help the public to carry only one card for transacting business with SSNIT, and emphasized that it would also serve as a security measure against the operations of imposters who sometimes attempt to deceive the Scheme to get compensation.
“The plan is that the Ghana Card will be the only accepted means of identification required for members to transact business with SSNIT,” she said.
The merger was also in compliance with Regulation 7 (1) of the National Identity Register Regulations, 2012, L.I. 2111, and a directive from the National Pensions Regulatory Authority.
The regulation, among other things, requires the use of the Ghana Card as a means of identification for transactions pertaining to individuals in respect of pensions.
Mr Francis Ameyibor, the Tema Regional Manager of the GNA, commended SSNIT for the proactive initiative to educate the public on its operations.
Source: GNA