The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) is embarking on a vigorous campaign to rope in more people from the informal sector.
The initiative known as the Self-Employed Enrolment Drive (SEED) is an intervention that focuses on extending pension coverage to self-employed persons and workers in the informal sector on the Scheme. Out of a close of 1.9 million SSNIT contributors across the country, only 14, 000 contributors constitute self-employed workers.
These self-employed workers include dressmakers, hairdressers, mechanics, commercial drivers, lawyers, traders, musicians, etc.
Just like salary workers, Public Affairs Manager at SNNIT, Charles Akwesi Garshong said self-employed workers are entitled to be paid a monthly income during old age or in the event of permanent invalidity until death when they join the scheme.
“Currently, we have over 240, 000 pensioners on the payroll, and a majority of whom were formal employees or salaried workers. But we realized that the SSNIT scheme was established to provide pensions for all workers, so, we don’t have any justification to be only focusing on employees or salaried workers”, he added.
He added that the benefits of self-employed enrolment with SSNIT reduce old age poverty hence less dependence on family during old age.
“We insured our vehicles and once they are damaged, and comprehensive, the insurance company will partially restore your vehicle. In that same manner, the life we want to live after retirement, we are not insuring that income. So, we encourage people to insure their income so when they are no longer working, SSNIT will pay them on a monthly pension for life”, the Public Affairs Manager admonished.
Mr. Akwesi who speaking to the media in Tamale during a day sensitization exercise said his outfit had engaged with leaders of trade associations to intensify the education for the self-employed workers to join.
Once registered with Ghana Card, Mr. Akwesi said the self-employed workers can pay their contribution via mobile money monthly without visiting SSNIT offices “by dialling *711*9# and select option 4 to make payment and with the payment through mobile money, it is E-levy exempt”
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Tamale|Ghana
