Sunyani March 1 GNA - The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has introduced a new scheme dubbed: "Informal Sector Social Security" for workers in the informal sector. The new scheme will offer workers in the sector the opportunity to register and contribute towards SSNIT to secure pension and other packages in future.

Mr Williams Kwaku Siaw, Head of the Sector, made this known as a day's public sensitization workshop in Sunyani. The workshop, jointly organized by the Brong Ahafo Regional Branch of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and SSNIT was attended by a number of artisans, chop bar keepers, traders, farmers, photographers and members of the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union. He said the pension scheme, would cover persons between 15 and 59 years.

Mr Siaw said the scheme had already started in the Ashanti, Eastern, Western, and Greater Accra regions "Contributions can be made daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, annually or seasonally by members who may also have the option to withdraw part of their savings when in need or request for credit to enhance their businesses", he explained. Mr Siaw explained that a member of the scheme qualified for old age and invalidity pensions, survival benefits among other packages. People who are 55 years old or above qualify to benefit from for the old age pension and must have accumulated adequate savings during his or her retirement

Alhaji Sadik Yakubu Bukari, Regional secretary of the TUC noted that about 90 percent of workers who contributed to the national economy were not secure for the future because they have not plan adequately for their pension.