Cape Coast, Aug 20, GNA – The Cape Coast branch of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), on Wednesday visited the respective homes of some bedridden pensioners in the Cape Coast Metropolis to issue them their biometric cards.

The nine pensioners including four females, and residents of Bakaano, Adisadel, Pedu and Brafoyaw all suburbs of Cape Coast were visited after background checks revealed that some pensioners who earlier visited the office to register were unable to return for their cards due to ill-health.

The five-hour exercise was led by the Branch Manager, Mr Alex Appiah, accompanied by Mr Joseph Adjei, Central Regional President of the Ghana Pensioners Association, who directed the SSNIT team to the various homes.

SSNIT in April last year began a nationwide exercise to register its members onto a new biometric platform, which aimed at enhancing its services especially when members retired.

The biometric cards are Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Cards, but have pictures and other vital information of its holders on them with which a holder could access his or her account at SSNIT kiosks, yet to be erected at vantage points nationwide.

The beneficiaries expressed appreciation and commended the Trust for the initiative.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after the exercise, Mr Appiah indicated that the initiative was in conformity with a new strategy which sought to bring the Trust closer to its members, improve operational efficiency and enhance customer service delivery.

He indicated that major challenges encountered in the exercise was the ability to trace some of the pensioners since the residential address given during the registration were wrong while it also took a lot of efforts to reach them via their phones.

He said as part of the initiative, the branch regularly visited the pensioners during their meetings to register and issue them withtheir biometric cards and therefore urged those who were not members to join the association and also called those who preferred to visit their office to do so.

Mr Appiah stated that with the new cards, members, could among others, view and print their statements at the kiosk, and also from the SSNIT website, and that they could also pay their contributions at any branch.

He further indicated that unlike before, members above 72 years under PNDCL 247, and members more than 75 years, under Act 766, do not have to complete a life certificate form every six months.

Mr. Appiah said the branch had so far registered more than 3,500 retired and active workers, but that about 800 cards were yet to be collected, and therefore urged their respective owners to pick their cards.