SSNIT collects GH¢440m from indebted employers as of October

The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has, as of October this year, collected arrears to the tune of GH₵439.6 million from employers.
Out of this amount, GH₵208.9 million was collected through prosecution.

This was disclosed by the Deputy Director-General, Operations and Benefits, Mrs Laurette Korkor Otchere, at a seminar organised by SSNIT in Kumasi on November 29.

“We take no delight in taking an employer to court but we do have an obligation to pay retirement benefits to workers.

And so, when you default in paying the contributions, these monies become debts, which we must collect.”

She explained that if SSNIT failed to collect these debts, “it does not absolve us of our responsibility and obligation to the worker.”

Annual statements

Mrs Laurette Korkor Otchere also indicated that for the first time, the Trust was distributing soft copies of annual statements of accounts to members through email and text messages.

She said about 99.8 per cent of contributors were sent their annual statements of account through email and text messages.

She, therefore, encouraged members to update their records with the Trust in order to receive statements and other correspondence from the Trust.

“We count on you as employers to help echo this message.”

Money saved

Speaking about the deactivation exercise and re-enrolment of pensioners aged 72 and above, she said the Trust had saved an amount of GH₵62.9 million as of November, 2019, with 6,268 ‘ghost’ names taken off the pension payroll.

She mentioned that from February 1, 2020, all pensioners who had not gone through the SSNIT biometric re-enrolment would be taken off the pension payroll.

“We would like to once again remind all our cherished pensioners who are yet to re-enrol biometrically to visit the nearest SSNIT Branch to do so, not later than January 31, 2020 to avoid been deactivated from the pension payroll.”

About seminar

SSNIT held the seminar for employers and focal persons within the Kumasi Metropolis.

Dubbed the ‘The SSNIT Focal Persons seminar’, it was organised for people who are assumed to be influential and vocal in their institutions as well as in their communities.

Mrs Otchere said the primary objective of the seminar was to strengthen the relationship with employers, help deepen the understanding of the operations of the First Tier Scheme so that the focal persons could spearhead the SSNIT agenda at their institutions and local communities.