Pensioners demand better Pension Payment
The Concerned SSNIT Pensioners Forum (CSPF) has criticised the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) for its 10 per cent pension increase for 2026, saying it is insufficient to meet retirees’ basic needs.
In a press release, the group said the increase leaves many pensioners unable to afford essentials such as food and medication.
The forum noted that low-income retirees are especially affected, as the annual adjustments have consistently lagged behind inflation and the national minimum wage.
CSPF said the increases fail to prevent pensioner poverty and called for a guaranteed minimum living pension.
On November 19, 2025, CSPF petitioned SSNIT for urgent measures to raise the minimum pension to a living level.
Copies of the petition were sent to the Minister for Finance, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Pensions Authority for support, the press release disclosed.
The forum requested that SSNIT raise the minimum monthly pension from GH₵ 396.58 in 2025 to GH₵ 600 in 2026, along with an average increase of 15 to 20 per cent for all pensioners.
CSPF said the 2025 minimum pension was too low to cover even basic healthcare costs, forcing pensioners to rely on family or friends for support.
CSPF met with SSNIT on December 10, 2025, to discuss the petition.
They said they were assured the requests would be presented to the relevant authorities for consideration.
The forum also called on SSNIT to clarify inconsistencies in its press releases regarding minimum pension amounts and percentage increases.
In its 2025 media release, SSNIT said the minimum pension increased from GH₵ 300 in 2024 to GH₵ 396.58 in 2025, a rise of 32.19 per cent.
In 2026, the trust said new pensioners would receive a minimum of GH₵ 400, while current minimum pensioners would receive GH₵ 409.56, representing a 36.52 per cent increase.
Pensioners demand
CSPF said annual percentage increases are meaningless without a guaranteed minimum living pension.
“Increases happen every year, but pensioners still cannot afford basic necessities such as food and medicine,” the forum said.
The group urged the government to adopt a national minimum pension policy similar to the national minimum wage.
They called for an inclusive dialogue involving SSNIT, policymakers, organised labour, pensioner associations, economic planners and civil society to establish a sustainable pension framework.
“Pensioners have served the country with dedication and deserve to live with dignity, not in destitution,” the forum said.
CSPF said it will continue engaging SSNIT and relevant ministries to advocate for pension justice, equity and policies that provide retirees with a dignified life.
The forum warned that without a fundamental policy shift, the well-being of pensioners will remain under threat, especially as healthcare costs rise with age.