The self-employed have been encouraged to plan for their future, so that when they retire, they can have something to live on.

Because self-employed people have the businesses that give them something to live on all the time, they sometimes do not see the need to enroll on to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) scheme.

But according to the SSNIT Chief Actuary, Mr Joseph Poku, making monthly contribution to the scheme secures one’s future, adding that “It's not everybody who can fend for himself, especially the self employed, who can plan, save and say, I'm going to go on retirement and go depend on this. “

He added that “Most people, live within the now. They want to live now, hand to mouth and take care of themselves. Now they hardly plan for the future. So that is why we are here to provide that future guarantee for their income, so that when they go on retirement, it will be easy for them to get money to support themselves”.

Mr Joseph Poku was speaking to the media in Tarkwa after SSNIT organized a float through the prinicipal streets of Tarkwa dubbed “Operation-A-Thon, (Ops-A-Thon)”, to raise awareness of its Self-Employed Enrolment Drive (SEED).

This is an initiative that focuses on extending pension coverage and social security protection to the self-employed and informal sector workers in the country.

The exercise forms part of the Trust’s ongoing effort to sensitise self-employed persons on the benefits and value the Scheme offers its members and encourage workers to enroll.

Under Ops-A-Thon initiative, SSNIT staff are touring various business enclaves, markets and walking through some principal streets of selected towns in the regions, holding placards and distributing flyers to encourage self-employed individuals to enroll in the SSNIT Scheme.

The Chief Actuary said, “close to 65% of the working forces are from the informal sector and the self employed people. So it is important that we bring this scheme to the to their doorstep, let them know what is in for them, so that you see the need to join. And so, we went around town to put more ink into it for them to know that it is important to join SSNIT and enjoy the benefits that those we think are in suit and tie enjoy”.

He urged Ghanaians to have confidence in the scheme because it is the safest way of guaranteeing the future.