He said self-employed persons and workers in the informal sector should join SSNIT to guarantee them of their social protection in the form of partial income at old age or whilst on retirement.

Mr Garshong gave the encouragement during a media training organised by SSNIT in Tamale on the Self-Employed Enrolment Drive (SEED) initiative of SSNIT.

SEED focuses on extending pension coverage to self-employed persons and workers in the informal sector.

Mr Garshong advised self-employed persons and workers in the informal sector to contribute regularly to the SSNIT Pension Scheme on their full earnings to increase their SSNIT income.

Mr Festus Darko-Preko, Area Manager for SSNIT in the Northern Sector, said SEED would sign up self-employed workers and reactivate dormant contributors to provide them with social protection, reduce poverty during old age and in the event of permanent invalidity.

He urged the media to support the awareness creation on the SEED initiative to educate self-employed people to join the SSNIT Pension Scheme to enhance their needs during old age.