You may not plan to retire, but your employer and your own body may have other ideas. Change of a company’s strategic focus or technological base can render people redundant. However, more likely than rare, such situations can reasonably be predicted.
Sicknesses or accidents on the other hand, by no stretch of imagination, can be predicted. Even worse are cases when the mishap results in a permanent disability, rendering one incapable of employment. There is a pension provision for such situations. This is called ‘invalidity pension.’
Invalidity Pension
To qualify for invalidity pension, the member must have contributed for 12 months in aggregate within the last 36 months preceding the incidence of the invalidity. In other words, 3 years before the incident, the member should have contributed for at least 12 months. He/ She must have also been certified by a Medical Board as being incapable of any normal gainful employment due to a permanent physical or mental disability.
The invalidity pension is paid monthly to such a person who has been confirmed and certified incapable of earning an income.
Qualifying Conditions
To qualify for invalidity pension:
- You must have made a minimum of 12 months/within the last 36 months with the date of termination of appointment due to your invalidity as the reference point.
- You must have been declared permanently invalid and incapable of any normal gainful employment:
- By a qualified and recognized medical officer and
- Certified by a Regional Medical Board on which a SSNIT Medical Officer is represented.
Medical Examination
Report to the nearest SSNIT Branch in person or through your representative with a Medical Report from a recognised Medical Practitioner certifying you are invalid.
You will be required to appear before a Medical Board for examination where your invalidity is certified by the Medical Board.
How to apply
- Members must fulfill their student loan guarantorship obligation where applicable before applying for benefits.
- Obtain Pension Application Forms from any SSNIT Branch.
- Complete the application forms and submit to the SSNIT Branch as early as possible.
- SSNIT will advise you to collect your monthly pension at a bank of your choice. Your bank account should be active and bear your name.
Calculation of Invalidity Pension Benefits
PENSION
After you have been certified invalid you will be entitled to a pension as follows:
- If you have made the minimum contributions of 180 months or 15 years or more, you will receive a “pension right” based on your contribution period and the average of the three (3) best years’ salary. Irrespective of not attaining the retirement age.
- If you made a total of 12 months within the last 36 months even though you might have not satisfied the minimum contributions period, you will receive a monthly pension based on 37.5%” pension right “of the average of your best three years’ salary.
REFUND
Where one’s total contributions within the 3 years prior to the condition is not up to 12 months, he/ she will be entitled to a lump sum which is a total of the contributions and an interest of 75% of the prevailing Government of Ghana Treasury bill rate.
HOW LONG WILL PAYMENTS BE MADE?
You will receive your payments till death or when you recover and choose to continue contributing.
(Credit: SSNIT, Pensions Act)
