SSNIT authorities unhappy with defaulters
The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), says out of the 4,406 registered employers operating in Takoradi, only 1,639 representing 37 per cent made contributions on behalf of 27, 979 employees.
Dr Prosper Ayisah, Western and Central Manager of SSNIT He said, statistics as in April this year, gave a total labour force of 62,347 in Takoradi.
He said the gap of 55 per cent labour defaults on the part of employers in SSNIT contributions is a worrying trend.
Dr Ayisah said this during a media briefing as part of efforts by the SSNIT to get the media to participate in the work of the Trust and entrench the culture of social security in the country.
The SSNIT currently has 161, 054 pensioners out of which 19,569 pensioners are within the Takoradi Area.
The Manager said the Trust has also instituted innovative and aggressive measures to reduce company and institution indebtedness aimed at ensuring sustainability of the Scheme.
Dr Ayisah said the media remains a pivotal tool in educating clients and ensuring compliance in registration, submission of reports and regular payment of contributions.
The SSNIT scheme has developed and deplored a new Information and Communication Technology system called the Operations Business Suite to enroll both new and existing clients on biometric smart card.
The strategic intervention, Dr Ayisah noted is to improve efficiency and effectiveness in achieving the core mandate adding: “Currently, employers have multiple channels for submission of contributions reports and billing, regular feedback mechanisms to improve processing time.”
Ms Eva Amegashie, Corporate Affairs manager of SSNIT said social security is designed to protect individuals from unforeseen catastrophes and mainly works in social insurance, risk-pooling and contract generation.
She added that the Trust which is currently the biggest non-financial institution in the country with more than 1,249,142 members, 163,201 pensioners and paying a minimum pension of GH¢ 276.00 and maximum pension of GH¢ 29, 677.50.
Ms Amegashie said the Trust run a decentralised system made up of eight areas, 50 branches, an agency and 18 day offices working on data collection on contributions, registration of employers and workers, manage funds from the scheme and process benefits for eligible members among others.
The Corporate Affairs Manager said SSNIT is the largest institutional investor in the economy including the money market, stock exchange, real estate and education among others.
Source: GNA