In its quest to ensure that self-employed workers, also remain financially independent during their old age or when they are unable to work again due to permanent invalidity, the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has launched an initiative that will bring its services closer to self-employed workers.
The initiative was dubbed, ‘Yɛ Wɔ Abɔnten’ (Market Storm), an initiative aimed at ensuring that self-employed workers also remain financially independent even during their old age or when they are unable to work again due to permanent invalidity.
The Yɛ Wɔ Abɔnten’ (Market Storm), initiative will see staff storm targeted business enclaves on the last Friday of every month to educate and enroll self-employed and informal sector workers onto the Basic Social Security Scheme to guarantee them hope of a decent retirement.
For this reason, you will find SSNIT staff in offices, markets, trotro/taxi stations, churches, mosques, community centres, events, and on the streets among others to expand pension coverage to all workers, including the self-employed.
Speaking at the launch in Accra, the Deputy Director of SSNIT in Charge of Finance and Administration, Michael Addo, noted that the Yɛ Wɔ Abɔnten, campaign will bring services closer to self-employed workers.
He highlighted the importance of SSNIT contributions and retirement plans with a focus on securing a financially stable future and encouraged individuals between the ages of 15 and 45 to recognize the value of enrolling in the Social Security scheme.
Mr Addo, stated that the scheme is open to all self-employed individuals, regardless of their profession, including traders, lawyers, commissioned income earners, or artisans saying; SSNIT aims to provide social security coverage for everyone adding that early enrollment and consistent contributions are instrumental in securing a better retirement.
Drawing on SSNIT’s six-decade-long reputable track record, Mr Addo, assures Ghanaians of the organization’s credibility and reliability in paying out claims and emphasizes the importance of signing up for the SSNIT Self-Employed Contribution Collection and Management System (SEED) to facilitate seamless registration and convenient contribution management.
Furthermore, he extends an invitation to previous contributors who wish to reactivate their membership,p urging them to continue their contributions using their existing SSNIT account, assuring them that their previous contributions remain intact saying; that SSNIT’s commitment to ensuring that individuals’ past efforts do not go to waste.
On her part, the Deputy Director-General in charge of Operations and Benefits, Ms. Pearl Nana Ama Darko, stated that Yε wↄ Abↄnten, is one of the four key internal activations or strategies aimed at encouraging the uptake of the Self-Employed Enrolment Drive (SEED).
She added that in their quest to achieve these objectives, SSNIT has deployed a 360-degree marketing communication campaign to create top-of-the-mind awareness of SEED explaining that the deployment of a 360-degree marketing communication strategy is fairly driving the interest and publicity of the initiative with staff storming the streets with the message of SEED.
Ms. Pearl Nana Ama Darko, noted that it is time for all staff of SSNIT to go out in the markets and storm-targeted business enclaves to educate and enroll self-employed persons and workers in the informal sector in the SSNIT Scheme.
She reiterated SSNIT’s aim to ensure self-employed workers also remain financially independent during their old age or when they are unable to work again due to permanent invalidity stressing that already, their staff is in churches, mosques, community centres, events centres, and on the streets preaching the good news of SSNIT and its benefits.
The Deputy Director-General in charge of Operations and Benefits revealed that every staff is assigned to enroll at least three self-employed workers each month and therefore encouraged staff to make friends, speak to them, encourage self-employed persons to join the Scheme, and maintain the relationships to ensure they voluntarily pay their contributions consistently.
SSNIT is mandated by the National Pensions Act, 2008, Act 766 to provide income security for all workers in Ghana and that no one should be left behind as they seek to reduce old-age poverty.
