By Issah Mohammed
Accra, Nov 22, GNA – Staff of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) took to the streets of Spintex, a suburb of Accra, to encourage self-employed individuals and informal sector workers to register for the pension scheme.
The initiative forms part of the Self-Employed Enrolment Drive (SEED), launched in May of the previous year to enhance social security protection for informal workers.
Since its inception, the number of self-employed subscribers has surged from 13,000 to 120,000.
In an interview, Mr. Kofi Osafo-Maafo, Director General of SSNIT, emphasized the increasing significance of the informal sector, noting that it was becoming a vital and expanding component of the SSNIT operations.
“We are going to seek continuous growth in the informal sector enrolment. And if you look at the informal sector, it is the largest part of the working population,” he said.
Dubbed “Operation-A-Thon, (Ops-A-Thon)”, SSNIT staff have toured various business enclaves, markets and some principal streets of selected towns in the regions.
Places visited over the past weeks included, Wa, Techiman, Tarkwa, Koforidua, Obuasi and Somanya.
Mr Osafo-Maafo said it was important for Ghanaians to understand the essence of social protection in their lives.
He noted that the trust provided such protection through benefits that included old age pension, invalidity pension and survivors’ benefit.
“I find out that people are putting their monies with savings and loans companies, with susu collectors and other pension companies. SSNIT offers the most secure pension,” he said.
GNA