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Reported by, Nsor Paul mensah.
Religious Leaders of Various Christian organizations in Ghana has been charged to educate members on Social Security and National Insurance Trust(SSNIT) and the need to enroll on it,
Social Security and National Insurance Trust(SSNIT) is a statutory public Trust charged under the national pensions Act,2008 Act 766 with the administration of Ghana's Basic National social security scheme.
Speaking at a stakeholders engagement with leaders of churches and Christian organisations in Accra today 15th June 2022, the Director General of SSNIT Dr. John Ofori- Tenkorang said, it has become necessary to extend coverage to informal sector workers not only to increase the active membership and contributor base of the scheme, but also to ensure that every worker in Ghana enjoy's social protection. He added that it will help reduce poverty and over-dependence on family relations and friends during old age.
Dr John Ofori-Tenkorang, told organisations that aside from Educating members, they should also endeavour to pay the SSNIT contributions of employees.
"SSNIT is open to all workers in Ghana. Dowell to register and become members of the Scheme and encourage your members or congregants to do so. You are doing your employees a disservice if you do not pay their SSNIT contributions," he said.
The event, organised by SSNIT, was on the theme: "Extending Pension Coverage to the self-employed and informal sector workers-the role of the church."
Christian organisations present included the Anglican Church of Ghana, Church of Pentecost, Assemblies of God, Winners Chapel Ghana, Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Methodist Church of Ghana, Aglow Women's Ministry, Lighthouse Chapel, Catholic Church, and the Scripture Union.
The Director-General said the engagement was amongst the many steps being taken to broaden their reach through education on the benefits of SSNIT contributions.
He said the religious leaders should assist as peer educators in promoting the SSNIT scheme and the value it offered to congregants and other self-employed persons.
Dr Ofori-Tenkorang said they should also serve as social security champions in ensuring that self-employed persons enjoyed social protection and a decent retirement.
He urged the Christian leaders to act as ambassadors to prevent poverty among church members, especially the aged and ensure that workers had access to reliable pensions to reduce poverty.
The Director-General debunked assertions that the Scheme paid less, adding that, with some contributors earning as high as GHC142,564.97 monthly, the SSNIT Scheme was the best.
"SSNIT Scheme is very generous. It offers unique benefits and provides value that no other pension product offers," he added.
The Most Reverend Dr Robert Aboagye-Mensah, a former Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana. said retirement was an inevitable part of human existence,therefore, the need to plan for it.
He observed that whilst some Ministers could comfortably retire at some stages of their Ministry, others who were self-employed had their source of livelihood cut off.
That, he said, was because those self-employed individuals found themselves in the informal sector without any structured pension scheme. He said it was the responsibility of Ministers of the Gospel to promote the holistic development of Christians in the country, hence the need for sensitisation.
Dr Lawrence Tetteh, President of Worldwide Miracle Outreach and the Lawrence Tetteh Ministries, lauded SSNIT for the engagement and asked them to reach out to the populace in plain, simple language.
The Clergyman urged the Christian Community to make payment of SSNIT contributions an integral part of their operations to secure the future of their workers and theirself.