Kwesi Afreh Biney
The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIIT) has, in partnership with Ecobank, launched the Membership Value Programme (MVP) to give contributors and pensioners benefits beyond statutory pension.
The programme offers discounts on healthcare, retail, travel, hospitality and other essential services.
According to SSNIT, it is designed to make membership more rewarding during a worker’s active years and to encourage more people, especially those in the informal sector, to join the scheme.
Speaking at the launch in Accra yesterday, Director-General of SSNIT, Kwesi Afreh Biney, said the MVP forms part of the Trust’s broader transformation agenda to make social security more responsive to Ghanaian workers.
“Social Security must evolve with the changing nature of work. It must improve experience, deepen trust and deliver practical value across every stage of life,” he said. “Today, contributors want more than an institution that will show up at retirement. They want one that remains relevant throughout their working lives.”
He noted that while SSNIT remains committed to safeguarding retirement incomes, it must also create value before retirement. Under the MVP, members will be linked to a network of trusted partners offering discounts and other benefits to make membership more attractive and expand pension coverage.
“If workers entrust SSNIT with their future security, then their membership should also feel valuable in the present,” he added.
Managing Director of Ecobank, Abena Osei-Poku, said the partnership is a transformative step. Eligible members will receive a co-branded Visa prepaid card accepted in Ghana and abroad, with no issuance, annual or maintenance fees.
“For young professionals, it creates opportunities to save while building a future. For families, it helps reduce the cost of living, and for pensioners, it offers greater purchasing power and convenience,” she said.
Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Ampem Nyarko, who represented the Finance Minister, described the initiative as forward-looking.
“Pension is much like planting a tree. We nurture it patiently so that in the years ahead, it will provide security, protection and peace,” he said, noting that the programme aligns with government efforts to strengthen the pension system and expand coverage.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah