SSNIT tells 72-year- old pensioners to renew life certificates

Mrs Elizabeth Esi Jehu-Appiah, an official of the Agona Swedru branch of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), has appealed to pensioners who are above 72 years to contact the trust to renew their pension.
    
She said the decision was aimed at given the pensioners a ‘life certificate’ to continue to draw their monthly benefits.
    
Mrs Jehu-Appiah, who made the appeal at the inauguration of the Awutu-Senya District branch of the National Pensioners Association (NPA) at Awutu-Bawjiase at the weekend, warned that those who fail to comply would no longer receive their pension.
     
“The Life Certificate introduced by SSNIT was to afford pensioners the right to continue to enjoy the monthly pay benefits till they die,” she explained.
    
Mrs Jehu-Appiah praised SSNIT pensioners in the area for coming together to form a branch of the association, and expressed the hope that they would encourage their colleagues to join the body.
    
Mr G.N. Ghunney, Central Regional Vice Chairman of NPA, urged members to constitute themselves into community advisory groups, to educate the youth about the dangers of emulating foreign values and cultures blindly.
    
He said some of the foreign ways of life had woefully contributed to the moral decay among the youth.
    
Mr Ghunney advised pensioners to do adopt healthy lifestyles like physical exercises and eating of fruits.
    
They must also register with the National Health Insurance Scheme in order to access free medical care.
    
Mr Solomon Kwashie Abban-Quaye, former District Chief Executive, charged pensioners to come out with ideas to reform the pension scheme and facilitate efforts of building a better Ghana.
    
Mr C.K. Okine, Chairman of the newly-inaugurated branch association pledged the determination of members to mobilize all available manpower and other resources within their reach to promote the aims and objectives of the NPA.
    
He called for the maximum co-operation of members to ensure the successful administration of the association.

Source: GNA