The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has met with employers in Kumasi as part of ongoing stakeholder sensitisation exercise on requirements of the newly-introduced Operational Business System (OBS) and biometric registration intended to streamline SSNIT’s operations.

The exercise, which recorded an impressive turn-out, comes many weeks after a similar exercise was held for all SSNIT Branch Managers and SSNIT Local Union and Senior Staff Association executives in Kumasi to discuss issues regarding the implementation of this latest initiative.

Mr. Allandu Azu, Kumasi Area Manager, SSNIT, in an exclusive interview with B&FT on the sidelines of the stakeholder engagement said the exercise is very essential for successful implementation of the innovations being pursued to bring efficiency in SSNIT’s work.

He said the forum was aimed at educating employers, considered as a key stakeholder of the SSNIT scheme, on the role they are expected to play and the necessary requirements involved in effective implementation and operation of this new system.

According to the Kumasi Area Manager, the present phase of the implementation exercise is focused on re-registration of SSNIT contributors, particularly active members of SSNIT. This, he indicated, will help to expedite the process to generate Social Security numbers for SSNIT contributors.

He however assured pensioners under the SSNIT scheme, particularly those who are yet to go through the biometric registration exercise, that their monthly benefits will not be affected.

He explained that the only minor challenges that have been recorded so far have been with some occasional Internet connectivity fluctuation, which has been resolved, and some delays in obtaining information from some contributors.

Kennedy Appam, Accountant, Premium Foods Limited -- a participant at the forum, observed that the introduction of this new system, if well-implemented, will enhance employers’ submission of data, their communication with SSNIT and others.

He said SSNIT contributors have always been concerned with the processing of pension benefits; however, he is hopeful that introduction of the biometric registration among the other initiatives being implemented by SSNIT will help data-processing and thereby expedite the process of payment.