Wa, July 1, GNA - A Senior Citizen in the Upper West Region has described the SSNIT pension as a killer, which was contributing to the brain drain syndrome and the loss of valuable human resources of the country.
Mr. Banuoku Sasiri, a former administrator at the Lawra District Assembly, said the SSNIT pension was woefully inadequate and as a result most pensioners who had acquired knowledge and skills from their work places either die shortly or got maimed after retirement and are unable to pass on such experiences to the youth.
"The pension, which is proclaimed to provide security for the pensioners is rather our killer", he said, adding: "Ghana will continue to suffer the consequences of this poor pension if urgent measures are not put in place to address it".
Mr. Sasiri made the observation at a forum to honour Senior Citizens in the Upper West Region to mark the 47th Anniversary of Ghana's attainment of a republican status in Wa on Sunday. He called on the government to enhance the SSNIT pension to enable pensioners who had acquired specialized skills to continue to bring them to bear on the youth and the private sector to enhance the growth of the national economy.
Mr. Ambrose Dery, Upper West Regional Minister, acknowledged the roles senior citizens played over the years towards the attainment of independence.
He said it was for that reason the government had put aside the day to honour and recognize their contributions to the country's development.
Mr. Dery urged the senior citizens who had retired from government employment to continue to play active roles in contributing meaningful ideas to the development of their communities. "I wish to urge you to continue to present your views and sentiments accurately and courageously on all issues that affect the welfare of this young region in particular and the nation as a whole", he said.
"As opinion leaders, your contributions and observations on current government policies such as the National Health Insurance Scheme, Capitation grant, the National Youth Employment Programme and the National Identification Programme as well as re-denomination of cedi would help improve the living conditions of the people".
He called on them to feel free to come forward individually or collectively to present suggestions on government polices, especially in the areas of education, health, and agriculture since they may impact positively or negatively on the lives of the people.
Mr. Dery urged the senior citizens in the region to form associations to cater for the welfare of their members and also serve as "Think Tanks" to support policy making and implementation. They should also ensure regular interaction and free flow of information between them and public office holders to bring benefits to the region. 01 July 07
