The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has introduced a policy that compels pensioners to renew their certificates every year to guarantee their benefits.
The Annual Pensioner Certificate Renewal Policy is intended to protect the benefits of the over 257,000 pensioners while they are alive, and to ensure a timely cessation when they are no more, so as to protect the public purse.
The validation policy, which takes effect from April next year, is a marked departure from the previous regime, which validated pensioners only after 12 years when they turned 72 years under the old law (Social Security Law, 1991; PNDC Law 247) or when they turned 75 years under the new law (National Pensions Act, 2008; Act 766).
Speaking at the launch of the policy in Accra yesterday, the General Manager of SSNIT in charge of Benefits, Frank Molbila, explained that henceforth, pensioners must renew their certificates yearly to ensure that annuities are paid to deserving beneficiaries.
He explained that in the event that the pensioner passed on, the certificate renewal would facilitate the payment of benefits to only qualified nominees of the pensioner.
“This new policy of asking every pensioner to authenticate or go through a pensioner certificate remains very beneficial to pensioners.
The key reason for this policy revision is to protect their benefits while alive and also when they are no more,” Mr Molbila said.
He stressed that pensioners who failed to renew their pensioner certificates beyond 72 or 75 years were deemed to be deceased and their names would be consequently deleted from the pension payroll.
Alive
The General Manager in charge of Benefits said at the point of processing a survivor’s benefits, “It is noticed that some pensioners who are not 72 or 75 years might have passed on a long time ago”.
He said when SSNIT was not notified of the death, “we will continue to pay the pensions without knowing who will be collecting the money.
To protect the benefits for their validly nominated persons, the pensioners should go through the pensioners' certificate annually in their birth month”.
“Your money should go to who you say it should go to when you are no more,” he said.
Mr Molbila explained that the revised policy would strengthen the integrity of the pension payroll, help SSNIT to safeguard contributor funds and maintain accurate pension records.
Flexible process
He said SSNIT had made the process flexible by providing several channels for renewal, including the SSNIT Mobile App, which employed facial verification for resident and non-resident pensioners; the virtual branch, partner banks, namely selected GCB Bank and Ecobank branches, and all 53 SSNIT branches nationwide.
“We have also made arrangements for home visits to support pensioners with mobility challenges. Such pensioners may kindly call the SSNIT contact centre number on 0302 611 622 to schedule a home visit for the pensioner certificate renewal.
“SSNIT will send reminders, at least one month before each pensioner’s birth month, to ensure no one is left behind. Our team remains available to guide members through the process and ensure compliance,” he said.
The renewal to be done annually during the pensioner’s birth month will serve as a continuous confirmation that the right person is receiving the right benefit.
Guidance
Earlier, the Deputy Director-General in charge of Operations and Benefits of SSNIT, Adam Sulley, said the clear guidance on the Annual Pensioner Certificate Renewal Policy was important to clear some ambiguities in the earlier public notice.
“We recognise that parts of that notice caused confusion for some pensioners and stakeholders regarding the timelines and the renewal process,” he stated.
“Our aim is to ensure that every pensioner knows exactly what to do, where to go and the channels available, particularly for those who may have mobility challenges,” Mr Sulley said.
