SSNIT Pensioners’ allowance not aligned to Single Spine Salary Structure
The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) cannot adjust allowances of pensioners in line with the Single Spine Salary Structure because it has no mandate in that regard, an officer on the Trust told a group of pensioners on Thursday August 4, 2011.
SSNIT was in charge of the contributions made by workers in the country which are often invested for several years to take care of them when they retire from active service.
Mr. Jonathan Cato of the Corporate Affairs Department of the Trust was speaking at a forum attended by members of the University of Ghana Pensioners Association (UGPA) on Thursday in Legon.
He said only workers in the country who are being paid by the Ghana Government would enjoy the Single Spine Salary and that this does not fall under the purview of SSNIT.
On the annual increment, Mr Cato said before any increment was made at the close of the year, the managers of the fund often took note of the prevailing inflationary rate before deciding on what percentage to be added to pensioners’ monthly allowances.
During the forum, the Public Information Manager said lately, SSNIT has been transferring pensioners’ allowances electronically into various Banks in Ghana and that has resulted in the efficient payment of the monthly stipends.
He said most pensioners are often paid on the third Thursday of every month and that soon announcements would be carried out on both the print and the electronic media to inform all pensioners in Ghana on the dates of payment.
He said calendars bearing the dates would be distributed by SSNIT offices to pensioners.
According to Mr Cato, because of the longevity of Ghanaian pensioners these days, the trust has increased the year for their annuity from 72 years to 75 years and reminded all SSNIT pensioners who may attain the age of 72 to quickly fill the Life Certificates obtainable from the 48 District SSNIT Offices in Ghana.
He reminded the pensioners who were 72 years to remember to fill the Life Certificates twice each year- in February and August and warned that failure to fill the Life Certificate would result in the forfeiture of one’s pension allowance.
He said whenever a member dies without reaching age 72, his or her dependants would have to report at the nearest pension office with posters of the deceased person including burial certificate and the deceased’s social security number for the rest of the deceased pension money to be calculated and paid to the Dependant. He warned that bereaved families should not to employ the services of a lawyer in that regard.
Mr. Jonathan Cato mentioned that during the inception of SSNIT programme, there were 971 contributors who registered and today SSNIT has over 12,000 contributors.
He intimated that the lowest paid SSNIT Pensioner receives GH¢45 while highest paid takes GH¢12,000 monthly.
He appealed to the various trade unions in Ghana to negotiate for better salary scales for their members instead of allowances since this will go a long way to enhance their retirement benefits.
Source: GNA