Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang (2nd left) and some officials during the launch
DIRECTOR-GENERAL of SSNIT, Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang, has bemoaned the low membership of the scheme, attributing the trend to a lack of understanding and awareness about the immense benefits that the scheme provides for workers.
According to him, his administration is obviously not impressed about the current development, therefore, they have moved to put in place pragmatic programmes and policies to help deepen public interest and understanding about the value of the scheme.
“A general lack of understanding about social security, the laws governing it and the value it provides is the main reason the membership is relatively low now,” Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang said.
Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang was speaking during the launch of Supplementary Readers on Social Security for High Schools at the Kumasi Anglican Senior High School (KASS) as part of numerous efforts to provide holistic training for students.
Developed by SSNIT in partnership with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), the book is intended to expose the students, who are the future leaders of the country, to the immense benefits that SSNIT provides for workers.
“That is why you are very lucky to have this subject [social security] introduced to you through your school curriculum at this early stage of your lives to offer you a roadmap and a preview into your work journey and equip you with the right tools to plan ahead,” Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang said.
The Deputy Minister of Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, in his remarks, lauded SSNIT and NaCCA for having the vision to introduce the book to students now, stressing that he was hopeful that the book would positively change the lives of the students in the near future.
“SSNIT’s collaboration with NaCCA to have social security content included in various subject areas of the curriculum of high schools and the production of the supplementary readers will enable students understand and appreciate the value provided by the first tier scheme and social security in general,” he noted.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi