You can’t register your side-chick as a pension beneficiary – SSNIT Boss sets records straight
The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has clarified that employees or members of the scheme cannot designate a boyfriend or girlfriend as a pension beneficiary. Only blood relatives are eligible to be nominated to receive benefits from the Trust.
Mr. Frank Molbila, General Manager in charge of Benefits, provided the information during a regional forum organized by SSNIT in collaboration with the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in Sunyani on Monday. The forum, themed “Empowering Unions, Secure Futures: Deepening Pension Literacy Across Ghana,” is part of a nationwide initiative to enhance pension literacy among workers and strengthen collaboration between SSNIT and organized labor.
Highlighting the long-term value of SSNIT pensions, Mr. Molbila stated, “With the SSNIT pension, the longer you live, the longer you benefit,” urging all workers to register and participate in the scheme. He emphasized the importance of planning for retirement, noting that SSNIT remains a reliable and essential tool for long-term financial security.
According to Mr. Molbila, SSNIT disbursed GHC6.77 billion in pension benefits in 2025 and expects to pay approximately GHC8.21 billion by the end of 2026. He noted that the oldest current pensioner is 107 years old, with the Trust obligated to continue payments until a beneficiary passes away. Currently, the highest monthly pension is GHC213,000, while the lowest is around GHC400.
On invalidity pensions, Mr. Molbila reported that the highest recipient, aged 86 and on the scheme for 36 years, receives GHC19,923 monthly. The invalidity pension, designed for members permanently unable to work due to physical or mental disability, has been in place for 32 years. In 2025 alone, SSNIT paid GHC40.8 million in invalidity pensions.
He advised all members to update their records, particularly regarding beneficiaries, to ensure proper management of their pension benefits.
