During a meeting with stakeholders, management of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) discussed the need of expanding and deepening coverage of the Basic National Social Security Scheme to self-employed workers.
According to them, over 10 million informal sector workers in Ghana are not under any social security coverage.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour Awuah commended the SSNIT management for the initiative to extend social security coverage to self-employed workers in the country.
“Indeed, if we want to make sure that we all have good standard of living even during our old age, then the best way is to ensure we are put on social security.
“I am aware that there are so many pension products, but the difference between SSNIT and the other tiers is that, while the other tiers pays a one-time lump sum, the SSNIT Scheme pays you monthly pension until death and I think this is something everybody must embrace”, Mr. Baffour Awuah said.
During the meeting, the Director-General of SSNIT, Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang, said it has become a necessity to extend coverage to informal sector workers to ensure that every worker in Ghana enjoys social protection to help reduce poverty and over-dependence on family relations and friends during old age.
The meeting was attended by representatives of Trades Union Congress (TUC), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Employment, Social Welfare and State Enterprises, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA), other state agencies, civil society organizations, among others.