THE NATIONAL Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) has opened its fifth zonal office in Tema in the Greater Accra Region to bring it operations to the doorsteps of Ghanaians.
Ahead of the opening of the office, which marks the climax of the National Pensions Awareness week, the authority sensitsed some informal sector workers in a forum on how they can participate in the 3-Tier pension scheme among others.
The Tema Zonal Office is expected to take care of workers in Tema, Ashaiman, Ningo-Prampram and other areas.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NPRA, Hayford Attah Krufi, said that the opening of the Tema office demonstrated the authority’s quest and efforts to decentralise its activities and to create awareness and bring pensions administration closer to workers and its stakeholders.
He said though there were difficulties and challenges, the authority is building a robust pension industry in Ghana such that no retiree will lead the life of a destitute.
He assured all stakeholders that NPRA is dedicated to protect and safeguard pension funds and that the authority is putting in place proper structures to secure the pension funds for all contributors.
The NPRA boss encouraged the informal sector workers to take advantage of the 3rd-Tier Voluntary Provident Fund and the Personal Pension Scheme to secure income for their old age.
Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Bright Wireko Brobbey commended the authority for the effort in opening the Tema Zonal Office.
He, however, cautioned the authority to be vigilant and not hesitate to crack the whip on any service provider, who goes contrary to the rules and regulations of the schemes and the directives of the authority.
He urged the authority to build a strong regulatory body that will protect the huge pension funds that will be in the hands of the private pension managers in the few years to come.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema East, Isaac Ashai Odamtten noted issues of pension were essential to the national development hence commended the Chief Executive Officer of the NPRA for establishing office in Tema, pointing out that it will help deliver services that bother on pension of people in Tema.
He urged all staff who will be posted to the office to show empathy with people who will be calling on their office with grievances.
The MP implored all workers to always check their pension records to ensure that they are intact and rectify before they retire.
By Vincent Kubi