Alhaji Fuseini A. Braimah, Co-chair of the Concerned SSNIT Pensioners Forum, has expressed the view that although the 10 percent indexation announced by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) is appreciated, it remains fundamentally insufficient.
Speaking in an interview on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, he elaborated that while the increase is a welcome gesture, it falls short of addressing the pressing economic challenges confronting retirees.
He noted that the adjustment specifically fails those with low incomes and does very little to alleviate the growing trend of pensioner poverty.
The Forum had previously petitioned SSNIT to request a minimum monthly pension of GH₵600 and an average annual increase of 15 to 20 percent. Consequently, Alhaji Braimah lamented that the 2025 minimum monthly pension payment of GH₵396.58 is woefully inadequate.
He pointed out that this amount is barely enough to cover medication expenses, leaving many pensioners forced to rely on the charity of others for their basic sustenance and food.
According to Alhaji Braimah, annual percentage increases have become largely meaningless in the absence of a guaranteed minimum living pension.
He emphasised to host Kwabena Agyapong that although increases occur every year, they fail to meet the specific vulnerabilities of the aged. Many retirees still find themselves unable to afford food or basic healthcare, proving that these increments are often detached from the lived reality of the people they are meant to support.
He argued that current adjustments overlook the fundamental question of whether a pension can actually cover survival needs. To address this, he proposed that the government adopt a national minimum pension policy, modeled after the national minimum wage, to ensure that every retiree can survive with dignity.
Alhaji Braimah concluded by calling for a national dialogue involving key stakeholders to establish a sustainable pension framework that prioritizes the well-being of Ghana’s retirees amid rising healthcare costs.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
