By Samuel SAM
Women and young entrepreneurs have been advised to enrol in the Social Security and National Insurance Trust- Self-Employed Enrolment Drive (SSNIT SEED) programme to ensure securing their retirement from active service with dignity and comfort.
Enrolling onto the programme will offer you an opportunity to replace income when unable to work due to old age or disability, as well as provide benefits to survivors upon passing.
Additionally, enrolling in the SEED programme will allow help you to access monthly pensions during old age, invalidity pensions in case of permanent disability, and survivor’s lump-sum payments to dependents.
The Northern Sector Manager of SEED at SSNIT, Kwame Ofori, made the call during a seminar at the Northern Business and Investment Summit held at the University for Development Studies (UDS) Alhassan Andani chamber.
The SEED initiative targets self-employed individuals and formal sector workers, urging them to make regular contributions to the SSNIT scheme based on their full earnings.
The summit, organised by the Centre for Policy Development, aimed to enhance trade, industry, and investment opportunities in the Northern Region of Ghana.
The summit brought together stakeholders from the public and private sectors, including investors, policymakers, security officers, agribusiness owners, farmer-based organisations, development partners, government stakeholders, business advisory service (BAS) providers and local and international investors, to discuss ways of promoting economic growth and development in the region and country as a whole.
“To qualify for a full pension, you must be at least 60 years old and have made a minimum contribution of 180 months (15 years) under Act 766 and 240 months (20 years) under PNDCL 247,” he stated.
As a key player in the country’s social security system, SSNIT recognises the importance of investing in initiatives that create jobs, stimulate economic growth and improve the standard of living for Ghanaians, he said.
According to SSNIT’s Northern Sector Area Manager, Festus Dark-Preko, SSNIT’s participation in the summit underscores its commitment to supporting the economic development of Ghana, particularly in the Northern Region.
He noted that the summit also provided a platform for SSNIT to engage with other stakeholders and explore opportunities for collaboration and investment in the region.
It also offered a chance for SSNIT to showcase its role in promoting economic development and social welfare in Ghana, he added.
The Executive Director of NTIIS, Ismail Yahuza, said the summit forms part of a broader effort to promote regional development and economic growth in Ghana, which aims to promote investment, trade and knowledge exchange with a focus on amplifying Ghana’s global market footprint through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He therefore called for regional cooperation in promoting economic development in the region to alleviate poverty.
Some entrepreneurs, especially agribusiness value chain actors at the seminar, expressed gratitude to SSNIT for the programme; it helps them save for their future and be made part of SSNIT beneficiaries when on retirement or not in active service.
They pledged to enrol in the programme to commence saving for their future, since no one knows what the future will bring.
