Lawra(UW), Nov. 07, GNA - Management of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), has advised contributors who had attained 54 years and above to update their records and clear all commitments relating to student loans for prompt payment of their benefits on retirement.

Miss Albertina Tuurosung, Lawra Branch Manager of SSNIT who gave the advice, mentioned inaccurate data such as invalid social security numbers, multiple social security registration numbers, non-registration of workers and default in payment of students' loans.

She was speaking on "Benefits of Social Security Scheme" at a day's seminar for employers, workers and SSNIT Pensioners drawn from Lawra and Jirapa/Lambussie Districts at Lawra in the Upper West Region on Tuesday. Miss Tuurosung noted that some contributors had two different dates of birth with employers and SSNIT that while an employee had reached the compulsory retiring age of 60 years at his work place, records at SSNIT indicated 57 years.

She noted that a retired contributor with the accurate records could access benefits within six weeks but those with inaccurate records could access their benefits after three years.

Miss Tuurosung announced that some employers in the two districts owed SSNIT 3,500 Ghana cedis in workers contributions by the end of August this year, with contractors operating in the area as the worst defaulters.

Mr Felix Adams, Tamale Area Manager of SSNIT, speaking on the topic "Obligations of the Employer Under the Social Security Law" said employers were expected to pay their workers' contributions within 14 days after payment of salaries without excuses.

He said refusal of some employers to submit reports on their workers' contributions within the stipulated time was making it impossible for management to prepare the accurate statements of their clients.

Ms Eva Amegashie, Deputy Head of Public Affairs of SSNIT said management was negotiating with the National Secretariat of National Youth Employment Programme to bring beneficiaries of the programme on board the scheme because they were workers and should contribute to the scheme.

She said management had introduced E-banking into its operations through which cheques for SSNIT pensioners were channelled to ECOBANK that would process them to the various banks.

This, Ms Amegashie noted, had minimised delays in the payment to pensioners while 29 customer outlets and 18 day offices such as markets had been opened and "a talk free line" introduced to give timely and efficient service to customers.