The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has engaged members of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in the Upper East Region as part of a nationwide stakeholder engagement aimed at educating workers on pension benefits and services. The forum, held in Bolgatanga, was under the theme “Empowered Unions, Secure Futures: Deepening Pension Literacy Across Ghana.”
Speaking at the forum, the Deputy Director-General in charge of Operations and Benefits at SSNIT, Adam Sulley, said the engagement forms part of a nationwide tour to strengthen collaboration between SSNIT and organized labour. He explained that the relationship between SSNIT and the Trades Union Congress remains critical to the success of the pension scheme.
“We value our relationship with TUC very much. In terms of numbers, they have a lot of workers under them, and if they work with us in terms of contributions and education of their members, it will make our work easier,” he said.
Mr. Sulley noted that the nationwide engagements are intended to broaden workers’ understanding of the pension system and the additional value SSNIT provides beyond retirement benefits.
“When you are a member of SSNIT, it is not just about waiting until you are 60 years old to take a pension. There are other benefits and services that members can access, and we want contributors to understand that,” he explained.
Mr. Sulley disclosed that SSNIT had recorded about 2.1 million contributors by the end of 2025 and was projecting 2.4 million contributors by the end of 2026, with a long-term target of 2.8 million contributors by 2027.
He added that the institution had introduced several innovations to make its services more accessible to contributors, including a virtual branch system that allows contributors and pensioners to access information and services online.
SSNIT has also introduced strategic partnerships with financial institutions to improve service delivery through co-location arrangements in banks such as Ecobank, Ghana Commercial Bank, Fidelity Bank Ghana, and Consolidated Bank Ghana.
Mr. Sulley emphasized the need to bring more workers in the informal sector into the pension scheme, noting that the sector accounts for about 80 percent of Ghana’s workforce.
“There is no way SSNIT can succeed without the informal sector. These workers must also think about their future because one day they may not be able to work,” he said.
He explained that joining the SSNIT scheme guarantees workers access to three key benefits: retirement pension, invalidity benefits in the event of disability, and survivor benefits for dependents in the event of death.
Mr. Sulley also called for national discussions on consolidating workers’ earnings to improve pension contributions. He explained that pensions are calculated based on basic salaries and not allowances, which often results in lower retirement benefits for many workers.
“If we consolidate earnings, including allowances, the contribution levels will increase, and that will ultimately lead to higher pension benefits,” he said.
For his part, the General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress, Joshua Ansah, described the engagement as crucial for workers across the country. According to him, education on pension issues is essential for union leaders and workers to fully understand how their contributions are managed and how they can benefit from the system.
“Education is very important. If union leaders do not educate their members, workers will live in the dark about how SSNIT works and how their contributions are managed,” he said.
Mr. Ansah supported the proposal for consolidating workers’ earnings to boost pension contributions. He explained that contributions are currently based mainly on workers’ basic salaries, which are often lower than their total earnings.
“If all allowances are consolidated into the base salary, contributions to SSNIT will increase, and that will lead to better pensions for workers when they retire,” he said.
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