SSNIT, TUC engage workers on pension literacy in Wa

The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) in collaboration with the Trades Union Congress of Ghana (TUC) has held a regional forum in Wa in the Upper West Region to deepen pension literacy among workers.

The forum, held on March 9, 2026 under the theme “Empowered Unions, Secure Futures: Deepening Pension Literacy Across Ghana,” is the first in a series of engagements scheduled to take place across the traditional ten regions of Ghana.

The Director-General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust, Mr. Kwesi Afrey Biney, said the forum forms part of SSNIT’s stakeholder engagement strategy aimed at strengthening collaboration with organized labour.

Mr. Biney explained that the engagement allows SSNIT to inform contributors and labour unions about developments within the pension scheme while also receiving feedback to guide future decisions.

He said the nationwide outreach started in Wa and will continue to other regional capitals as part of efforts to build a sustainable pension scheme for Ghanaian workers.

Mr. Biney disclosed that the SSNIT pension scheme continues to record strong growth in its asset base, saying the total asset value of the scheme increased from 20.4 billion Ghana cedis at the end of 2024 to more than 25 billion Ghana cedis by the end of 2025.

He attributed the growth to improved performance of several SSNIT investments including hotels and other assets.

He added that SSNIT is also implementing strategies to improve accessibility to its services through co-location with banks and digital service platforms.

Mr. Biney said the Trust plans to establish at least 25 additional co-location service points by the end of June this year.

The Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress of Ghana, Joshua Ansah, said the collaboration between TUC and SSNIT is aimed at educating workers about the importance of pensions and retirement planning.

Mr. Ansah explained that the forum provides an opportunity for workers to understand how the SSNIT scheme works and the benefits they stand to gain from contributing to the scheme.

He said the engagement also helps bring SSNIT closer to workers while encouraging members to advocate for others who are not part of the scheme to enroll.

Mr. Ansah emphasized that both formal and informal sector workers must take steps to secure their future through pension contributions.

He said workers who fail to plan for retirement risk facing hardship when they are no longer able to work.

A participant at the forum and the Lawra Branch Chairman of the Trades Union Congress of Ghana, Issahaque Mohamed Kataba, described the programme as an eye-opener for many union members.

Mr. Kataba said the forum helped participants better understand the opportunities and benefits associated with contributing to the SSNIT scheme.

He said the session of the forum explaining how pension benefits are calculated was particularly useful because many workers find it difficult to understand the process.

Mr. Kataba said the knowledge gained would help him educate members of the Lawra branch about their contributions and expected benefits under the scheme.

He encouraged workers to regularly check their contribution records to ensure that their employers are remitting the correct amounts to SSNIT.