By Samuel Yaokumah
Koforidua, Oct. 09, GNA – Mr. Kingsley Adjei-Manu, General Manager of Operations at the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), has encouraged self-employed individuals to enroll in the Trust, affirming their right to social security protection.
Speaking during a public awareness campaign on the Self-Employed Enrolment Drive (SEED) initiative of SSNIT in Koforidua, Mr Adjei-Manu stated that “the self-employed also deserves a pension when they retire.”
He highlighted the benefits of the SSNIT scheme, aiming to enhance public understanding of its advantages and to encourage more informal sector workers to join.
He reassured potential members, saying, “Once you are a member of the SSNIT Scheme and qualify for a pension, we pay you until the end of your days.”
He said the SSNIT pensions are adjusted annually, emphasizing the value that the scheme offers.
SSNIT has been actively promoting the SEED initiative nationwide, seeking to extend pension coverage to self-employed individuals and informal sector workers.
“So far, we’ve visited Wa, Techiman, and Tarkwa to engage self-employed persons to enroll in SSNIT, and today, we are here in Koforidua to do the same,” Mr. Adjei-Manu.
The ongoing nationwide exercise, dubbed, “Operation-A-Thon (Ops-A-Thon),” involves SSNIT staff touring various business hubs, markets, and residential areas, distributing flyers and holding placards.
Key messages captured on the placards read: “The only Scheme that Provides You with Life Insurance at no Extra Cost” and “Join SSNIT and Receive Free National Health Insurance.”
The outreach is complemented by brass band music and one-on-one education on the benefits of the scheme.
Since the launch of the SEED initiative in Kumasi in May 2023, the number of enrolled self-employed individuals had grown from about 13,000 to over 100,000 presently.
That growth could be attributed to the valuable services offered by the scheme, such as Old Age Pension, Invalidity Pension, and Survivors Lump Sum benefits.
Mrs. Victoria Gifty Abaidoo, Ag. Corporate Affairs Manager at SSNIT, explained that members receive monthly pensions for life upon reaching retirement age, invalidity pensions for those who could not work due to accidents, and survivor benefits for dependents of deceased members, which include a life insurance payout.
The SEED initiative is part of SSNIT’s commitment to ensure that every worker in the country, particularly self-employed individuals, had access to social security protection.
With the campaign set to continue in various regional capitals and towns, SSNIT seeks to further increase enrollment and raise awareness of the benefits available to members.
GNA