The Social Security and Social Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has begun implementing the annual mandatory certification of all pensioners, both old age and invalidity, right from the commencement of their pension.

The revised policy addresses critical gaps in the 2018 policy, which limited annual certification to pensioners aged 72 years (PNDCL 247) and 75 years for those under the current Pensions Act, Act 766.

Under the initiative, which is expected to begin effective April 2026, all the existing 257,000 pensioners on the SSNIT payroll and those who begin their pension at age 60 are required annually to renew their pension certificate during their birth month.

The General Manager of SSNIT in charge of Benefits, Mr. Frank Molbila, addressing a news conference on the new policy directive in Accra yesterday, said the key reason for the policy revision was to protect pensioners’ benefits “while they are alive and when they pass on.”

The revised policy, he said, was to strengthen the integrity of the pension payroll, safeguard contributor funds, and curb the practice in which pensions were paid to people who had passed on. He noted that SSNIT had identified cases where pensioners had died, yet payments continued because the Trust had not been notified.

“The new policy is therefore expected to curb such occurrences and ensure payments do not go to unintended persons,” Mr. Molbila stated.

He indicated that “The new policy marks a significant shift from the previous regime. The annual renewal will be conducted during the pensioner’s birth month, serving as continuous confirmation that the right beneficiary is receiving the right pension.”

Mr. Molbila said the revised arrangement sought to introduce annual mandatory certification for all pensioners from the commencement of their pensions, ensuring accuracy and transparency in pension payments.

“Asking every pensioner to go through the certification process remains beneficial. While the pensioner is alive, it guarantees that the person receiving the monthly payment is indeed the legitimate recipient. Moreover, when a pensioner passes on, the certification records will ensure that benefits are paid to the persons nominated by the pensioner,” he stated.

To make the pension certificate registration process flexible, Mr. Molbila said SSNIT had introduced multiple renewal channels. These include the SSNIT Mobile App (with facial verification), the Virtual Branch, selected GCB Bank and Ecobank branches, and all 53 SSNIT branches nationwide.

“For pensioners with mobility challenges, SSNIT has arranged home visits, which can be scheduled by calling the Contact Centre on 0302 611 622,” he stated.

The Deputy Director-General, Operations and Benefits, Mr. Adam Sulley, speaking on behalf of the Director-General, Mr. Kwesi Afreh Biney, said the press conference aimed to offer clear guidance on the Annual Pensioner Certificate Renewal Policy following some confusion arising from an earlier public notice.

He emphasised the Trust’s commitment to transparency, open communication, and continuous improvement. Mr. Biney expressed optimism that the media would help convey the clarifications to the wider public and offer the assurance pensioners require.