In a bid to deepen social security and provide greater financial stability to the nation’s self-employed workforce, the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has officially launched the ‘Y3 W) Abonten’ campaign.
The initiative aims to bring pension services closer to self-employed and informal sector workers through targeted engagement efforts and enrolment drives.
Addressing the press at the launch event, the Deputy Director-General of SSNIT, Mr. Michael Addo, emphasised the significance of extending pension coverage to self-employed individuals.
He announced the roll-out of the ‘Y3 W) Abonten’ campaign, which translates ‘We are in your midst’ in English, as an integral part of the broader “Self-Employed Enrolment Drive (SEED)” initiative introduced earlier this year.
During the unveiling of the campaign in Kumasi, the Deputy Director-General underlined the Trust’s commitment to ensuring that self-employed workers can retire with dignity, independence and reduced reliance on familial support. He emphasised that while the Trust’s pension coverage has been successful for many, only a mere 2 percent of the 1.9 million insured workers are self-employed, leaving millions without the assurance of monthly pensions during their retirement.
Through the ‘Y3 W) Abonten’ campaign, SSNIT staff will engage with self-employed workers and informal sector participants in various settings, including offices, markets, transport stations, religious institutions, community centres, events and public spaces. The campaign’s goal is to educate, enrol and empower self-employed individuals to become part of the Basic Social Security Scheme, securing their financial futures even after retirement.
The campaign highlights five reasons for self-employed workers to join the SSNIT scheme, including comprehensive insurance, steady old age pension, enhanced value, permanent invalidity pension, and survivors’ benefits.
The Deputy Director-General urged self-employed individuals aged between 15 and 45 to join the SSNIT scheme and emphasised that higher contributions yield better pension benefits. He also highlighted the ease of contribution payments through the 7119# mobile platform, which is exempt from the electronic levy.
The campaign marks a significant step toward ensuring that Ghana’s self-employed workers can retire with dignity, confidence and the peace of mind they deserve. As the ‘Y3 W) Abonten’ campaign unfolds, it is expected to reshape the landscape of social security in the nation and pave the way for a more financially resilient future for all.
