Retired doctor calls for reforms in pension

A retired Medical Officer, Dr Sampson Ofori, has called for reforms in the management of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) Pension Scheme to be more beneficial to pensioners.

Making the call in an interaction with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Koforidua on Friday, Dr Ofori said it was important for workers going on retirement to be informed about the amount they would be paid monthly on pension and other financial entitlements due them.

According to him, when he went on retirement early this year, he made several enquiries at the SSNIT office about how much he would earn on pension and other entitlements due him, but no information or advice was given to him.

Dr Ofori said he was told by his bankers that GH¢40,000 had been paid into his accounts from SSNIT as his bulk retirement benefit.

He said later he received another advice that an amount of GH¢1,285 had been paid into his accounts as his pension for June this year.

Dr Ofori said the amount was half his monthly salary when he was in active service for 30 years as a medical officer and 10 years as a specialist with the Ghana Health Service.

He said the formula for the calculating the pension needed to be reviewed to enable pensioners to live in dignity.