Sunyani, (Bono), June 14, GNA -The Mid-West Ghana Conference (MWGC) of the Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA) is collaborating with the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) to set up a micro pension scheme for the members of the church.
At an engagement meeting between personnel of the NPRA and the leadership of the Conference in Sunyani, Pastor Thomas Akosah Agyapong, the Director of Stewardship, Trust Services and Strategic Planning of the Conference, said the church required the pension scheme.
The meeting brought together head pastors, elders, executive committee members, and other senior church leaders to discuss the Conference’s proposal to establish an informal pension scheme tailored to the needs of its congregants.
He explained that presently the MWGC which oversees a substantial membership base spread across the Bono Region was presently seeking regulatory guidance and technical support from the NPRA for the establishment of the pension.
Pastor Agyapong said the establishment of the scheme and the long-term contributions of the members would greatly guarantee their future financial security.
He called on the pastors, elders and stewardship leadership as well as the entire members of the SDA church to embrace and support the initiative for their own good and the benefits of their respective congregants.
He encouraged church leaders to educate the congregants and members on the benefits of long-term savings and retirement planning.
Pastor Agyapong, also the Sunyani East District Pastor of the SDA Church, advised that, “Let’s help our members to understand that the initiative isn’t a burden but a blessing and not a tax but a future investment.”
He noted that besides spiritual development, the SDA church valued the worth and general wellbeing of the members.
Pastor Agyapong underscored the church’s dedication to ensuring that “when your working years are over, you can enjoy your retirement with dignity, peace of mind, and financial security.”
Mr William Ohene-Adjei, the Bono and Ahafo Regional Zonal Manager of the NPRA, commended the Conference, describing the initiative as visionary, proactive and forward-thinking approach.
He said: “We are gathered here today because the MWGC has demonstrated remarkable foresight,” adding that, “the church has looked beyond immediate spiritual needs”
He asked: “What happens to our members when they can no longer work?
“That is a question every institution in this country should be asking.”
Mr Ohene-Adjei stated that the proposed scheme aligned closely with the NPRA’s strategic objective of increasing pension penetration among informal sector workers, who constituted the majority of the nation’s labour force.
He said the initiative had the potential to serve as a replicable model for other religious organizations and community groups seeking to provide social protection and retirement security for their members.
“What the conference is proposing is more than a church programme; it is a significant social protection intervention, and the NPRA is proud to support this conversation”, he added.
Mr Ohene-Adjei described the initiative of the church as a model for faith-based social protection in the country.
He explained that the engagement formed part of the NPRA’s broader mandate to expand pension coverage among informal sector workers and underserved groups, including faith-based communities.
“Many members of the SDA Church, particularly those who are self-employed, traders, artisans, and small business owners, fall outside the mandatory Tier One and Tier Two pension arrangements available to formal sector employees,” he added.
Pastor Maxwell Obour Awuah, the President of the MWGC, expressed appreciation to the NPRA for responding positively to the church’s invitation and for its willingness to support the initiative.
“As a Church, our mission has always been holistic”, he stated, adding that: “We aren’t called only to proclaim the gospel of salvation, but also to promote the total wellbeing of those entrusted to our care-body, mind, and financial security,” he said.
Referencing Proverbs 21:20, Pastor Awuah emphasised that prudent planning for the future was consistent with biblical principles.
“For many years, we have witnessed devoted members who have worked tirelessly for their families, communities and the church, however, some of them reach retirement without adequate financial resources,” he stated.
Pastor Awuah added: “We have seen the anxiety, vulnerability, and challenges that often accompany financial insecurity in old age and as leaders of the church we felt compelled to respond.”
He explained that the pension scheme would provide a structured, transparent, and member-centred platform through which congregants could make regular contributions toward a secure and dignified retirement.
The initiative, Pastor Awuah added, underscored the church’s dedication to promoting not only the spiritual wellbeing of its members but also their long-term financial security and retirement preparedness.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Dennis Peprah
Reporter’s email: [email protected]