Self-employed persons in Tarkwa and its surrounding towns in the Western Region have been encouraged to enroll on the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
For the past few weeks, SSNIT has been touring the country to raise awareness of its Self-Employed Enrolment Drive (SEED) – an initiative focused on extending pension coverage and social security protection to the self-employed and informal sector workers in the country.
This effort follows similar successful events held in Wa and Techiman in the Upper West and Bono East Regions, respectively. Dubbed “Operation-A-Thon (Ops-A-Thon),” the exercise forms part of the Trust’s ongoing effort to educate self-employed persons on the benefits and value the Scheme offers its members and to encourage workers to enrol.
Under the Ops-A-Thon initiative, SSNIT staff are touring various business enclaves and markets, walking through principal streets of selected towns in the regions, holding placards and distributing flyers to encourage self-employed individuals to enrol in the SSNIT Scheme.
Some of the placards displayed had messages such as: “The only scheme that provides you with life insurance at no extra cost,” “Bring 13.5% of your income and get up to 60% of your income,” and “Join SSNIT and get free National Health Insurance,” among others. These were accompanied by brass band music and one-on-one education on the benefits of SSNIT.
Addressing the media in Tarkwa, the Chief Actuary of SSNIT, Mr. Joseph Poku, emphasised the benefits the Scheme offers to its members, stressing that the self-employed also deserve a pension when they retire.
He explained that highlighting the benefits of the SSNIT Scheme to self-employed persons is important as it would ensure public understanding of the superiority of the SSNIT Scheme and garner support, resulting in more workers in the informal sector joining the SSNIT Scheme.
“Once you are a member of the SSNIT Scheme and you qualify for a pension, we pay you until you pass on to eternity. Let me indicate that SSNIT pensions are increased every year. This is the value the Scheme provides. SSNIT will continue to pay your pension, and it’s important to note that we have never defaulted in the payment of benefits,” he said.
Operation A-Thon is a nationwide sensitisation activity, and in the coming days, other regional capitals are expected to host the event.
In May 2023, when SSNIT launched SEED in Kumasi, about 13,000 self-employed persons had already enrolled in the Scheme. Currently, more than 100,000 have so far enrolled. This significant increase in enrolment is largely attributed to the value the Scheme offers its members, including Old Age Pension, Invalidity Pension, and Survivors’ Lump Sum.