The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) is embarking on a significant expansion of its bank co-location service points, aiming to bolster access to pension services nationwide. The Trust will increase this from 15 to 100 co-location points by the end of 2027, a move intended to significantly enhance member engagement and support the long-term sustainability of the national pension scheme. This initiative represents a strategic priority, designed to improve service delivery and reduce the operational costs associated with establishing standalone SSNIT offices. Mr. Kwesi Afreh Biney, Director-General of SSNIT, highlighted this ambition during a courtesy call with officials of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), stating that ‘So, today, if you are at Akosombo, you no longer need to move to Somanya to have SNNIT services; you go to GCB Akosombo, and we are there to serve you.’ He explained that the co-location programme is a key element of a larger, multi-year strategy to increase membership and make services more readily available to contributors and pensioners. The initiative is being spearheaded with a focus on creating a more accessible and responsive system for pension administration. Specifically, Mr. Biney stated that the Trust is introducing simplified contribution collection through WhatsApp, representing a substantial step towards greater member participation. The Trust has negotiated discounts of between five and thirty percent with 49 partner businesses, including airlines, health facilities, shopping centres, bridal shops, and food and beverage companies, to attract additional value for members. The Trust has also been working to increase participation in the informal sector, with approximately 55,000 new members reached year-to-date. Officials of the GNA and SSNIT agreed to maintain regular engagement to strengthen public education and institutional collaboration. GNA also invited SSNIT to utilize its newly modernized television studio for public education and media outreach activities, highlighting the need to effectively communicate the new services. Mr. Albert Kofi Owusu, General Manager of GNA, welcomed SSNIT’s expansion drive, emphasizing the importance of reaching rural and informal communities – a considerable challenge in recent years. He pledged the Agency’s support through its network of regional and district reporters and stringers to deepen public understanding of pensions and initiatives aimed at increasing membership. He assured that the Agency’s modernisation programme would enable it to produce videos, infographics, and other digital content to support public education, adding, ‘Anytime you want to engage the media, just call us.’ Furthermore, the GNA announced plans for targeted enrollment strategies to allow traders, artisans, and other workers, with about 55,000 new members reached year-to-date, and they also outlined the process for qualifying for Modified Taxation Scheme and how it will be implemented. A fatal accident occurred involving a Tipper truck and a Sprinter bus at Ofankor barrier, prompting GRA to outline eligibility criteria for the Modified Taxation Scheme and further details. The GNA also highlighted the need for targeted strategies to enrol traders, artisans, and other workers, and it pledged its support through its network of regional and district reporters to deepen public understanding of pensions and initiatives aimed at increasing membership.”””“““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““
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Source: Adom Online
