The Social Security National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has increased the pension benefits of pensioners by 18%, the corporate Affairs Manager of SSNIT, Eva Amegashie has disclosed.
βOn the whole there has been an 18% increment for 2017. There is a fixed rate of 15% which everybody is going to collect of whatever salary you are earning plus GHc 17.41 and this will equal the 18 % increment,β she said in an interview.
The Β increment is however, lower than that of 2016 which was Β perked at 20%. Per the current hike, pensioners are expected to receive GHc334.81 as benefits from GHc276.00.
In the meantime, all fresh pensioners from January 2017 will receive a minimum monthly pension benefit of GHc276.00.
Also, SSNIT urges all pensioners who have not yet re-registered for their biometric smart cards to do so by 28thΒ February 2017.
All unregistered pensions, according to a statement by the scheme, will have their pension payment delayed if they do not re- register for their smart cards.
βIt helps us to know those on the pension scheme and you can even use the biometric card for any identityβ¦We have moved into a new environment so even those who are not pensioners are advised to get the smart card,β said Amegashie.