Guarantors of SSNIT Loan Asked to Ensure Repayment

Guarantors of the SSNIT students loan scheme have been advised to ensure that those for whom they guarantee the loan can be traced after school.

Mrs. Matilda Agyarey, Assistant Manager of SSNIT in charge of the student loan scheme in Sunyani said many of the beneficiaries of the scheme leave the country after school and fail to pay back the loan.

"They virtually leave the guarantors in an embarrassing state, without knowing where to find the students to pay back the loan."

Mrs. Agyarey told the Ghana News Agency that this attitude affects

guarantors when they are due for retirement, as the amount they guaranteed for is deducted from their pension claim.

She said the student loans disbursement delays because the applicants fail to produce eligible guarantors, who must be contributors and are able to give their correct social security numbers.

When such anomalies are detected the students involved are directed to re-apply, she said.

Mrs. Agyarey said another cause of the delay is the practice where by workers on study leave apply for new social security numbers.

She said, however, that there has been an improvement in the repayment of the loans in recent times, citing examples of students who travelled outside the country after school but have been paying through their guarantors.