Winneba (C/R), Feb. 10, GNA - SSNIT Pensioners in the Effutu Municipality have appealed to the authorities of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to increase the monthly pension pay of the pensioners, particularly contributors who retired on low salaries. This, the Pensioners contended, will go a long way to reduce the economic hardships facing them.

Mr Kwesi Abaka-Aidoo, Chairman of the Effutu Municipal branch of the SSNIT Pensioners Association, was addressing members of the Association at an annual get-together at Winneba.

He said the current economic crunch had worsened the plight of the pensioners who earned between GH¢10.00 and GH¢50.00 pension pay a month= , stressing that most of these retired workers contributed a lot to the building of this nation when they were in active service and needed to be properly taken care of by the state now that they were old and out of employment.

Mr Abaka-Aidoo said that even though some of the poorly paid SSNIT pensioners served the nation for more than 30 to 40 years, for simple reaso= n that they were among workers in the lower income group they could not attract bigger pension pay under the SSNIT pension scheme.

He emphasized that even though the issue had been a protracted one, it was hoped that something concrete could be done about it to enable SSNIT pensioners in the lower income group also to enjoy a decent living. Mr E.K. Keelson, branch Secretary, announced that as of now the total membership of the Association stood at 340, adding that the membership gate was open to both pensioners and non-pensioners as well.

He expressed the hope that more aged people in the area would take advantage of this opportunity to register with the Association. Mr Keelson said that the Association had established a welfare scheme to assist its members financially and materially in times of difficulty. It had also finalized plans to build its own office complex and advise= d members to ensure prompt payment of their monthly dues for orderly administration. Mr Josiah Doam Kittoe (Jnr.) Manager of the Awutu Effutu Senya Mutual Health Insurance Scheme advised pensioners in general to register with the National Health Insurance Scheme to ensure sustained good health and prolon= g their lifespan.

Mr Kittoe was not happy that some people waited until they encountered serious health challenges before they initiated moves to register with the National Health Insurance Scheme. "It is about time we change our perceptions towards important nation= al polices like the NHIS to enable us to achieve aims and objectives of the nation, as one people with a common destiny", the Scheme Manager further advised.

Mr Kittoe sensitized members of the Association on the dos and don'ts of the Health Insurance Policy and expressed the hope that pensioners in the Municipality who were yet to register with the scheme would not hesitate to do so.