The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has taken a significant step by expanding its basic social security scheme to include self-employed individuals who were previously not mandated by law to participate in the program.
This new initiative, known as the Self-Employed Enrolment Drive (SEED), aligns with SSNIT’s mission to extend pension coverage to all workers, including those who work for themselves.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen Thursday, the Director-General of SSNIT, Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang, said this initiative would not only redefine social security in the country but also offer self-employed individuals the prospect of retiring with dignity and financial security.
Currently, out of the estimated 10 million workers in the country, only approximately 1.9 million are covered under the SSNIT scheme.
Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang pointed out that, among the 1.9 million active SSNIT contributors, only 32,000 (about two percent) are self-employed individuals.
This means that a significant portion of self-employed workers would otherwise have to rely on state support or assistance from family and friends during their retirement.
Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang noted that, the SSNIT scheme is not exclusive to formal sector employees but it is designed to benefit all workers in Ghana.
To increase awareness of SEED, a comprehensive 360-degree marketing communication campaign has been deployed.