We’ve withheld GH¢480 million in pensions from over 19,000 ‘ghost names’ – SSNIT

The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) says it has withheld an amount of ¢480 million through its efforts to rid the scheme of ghost names.

According to SSNIT, a total of 19,100 names have been identified as ghost names, and the amount spans from 2018 to November 2023.

The Director-General of SSNIT, Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang, revealed this to the media on Thursday, January 11, 2024, at the announcement of the indexation for 2024.

He said the amount withheld would have gone to pensioners who may have died after they had exhausted their guaranteed pension entitlements.

He said pensioners who are still alive ought to engage SSNIT so it will know they are still alive to benefit from their pension.

He explained that until such time that pensioners who are not receiving their pension inform them they are still alive, their pension would be withheld since they are presumed to be dead.
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He said some people, who were alive but had their pension withheld, reached out to SSNIT, were biometrically verified, and the challenge rectified.

He stressed that for the prompt payment of pensions, all pensioners are required by policy to complete a pensioner certificate every year to confirm they are alive.

He said those who do not complete the certificates are deemed not to be alive and have their names deleted from the pension payroll.