The Director-General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Kwesi Afreh Biney, says employer compliance with pension contributions has improved markedly over the past year, expressing confidence that the gains will be sustained.
Speaking to the media during a two-day engagement with pensioners and employers in Tamale, Mr Biney disclosed that all outstanding government arrears relating to employee pension contributions had been fully cleared by the end of 2025.
According to him, the arrears were settled under the stewardship of the Minister of Finance, Ato Forson, bringing government obligations to zero at the close of the year.
“For 2025, every due obligation from the government was paid, so at the end of the year government did not have any contribution arrears,” he stated, commending the minister for what he described as an outstanding performance.
Mr Biney noted that the private sector has also recorded significant improvement, now accounting for 52 per cent of total contributions to the scheme — a development he said reflects growing awareness among employers of the importance of pension security.
“There has been a lot of improvement in compliance. Employers are beginning to understand that by paying contributions for their workers, they are creating a workplace environment that motivates employees to give their best,” he said.
He expressed optimism that continued stakeholder engagements would help maintain and deepen the positive trend across both public and private sectors.
Highlighting SSNIT’s growing footprint, Mr Biney described the Trust’s 2.1 million active contributors as a formidable economic force, supporting 267,000 pensioners currently on its monthly payroll.
Beyond pensions, he announced plans to roll out a loyalty programme designed to provide added value to contributors.
“We have started discussions on how to ensure members benefit beyond pensions for being part of SSNIT,” he explained.
As part of the initiative, SSNIT plans to introduce co-branded cards in partnership with selected banks, allowing members to access loyalty packages and discounted services, including healthcare, when they use the cards.
Mr Biney said the programme forms part of broader efforts to strengthen contributor confidence and enhance the overall value of participation in the national pension scheme.
