The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has announced a massive surge in its investment portfolio, growing from GH¢20.4 billion at the close of 2024 to an excess of GH¢25 billion by the end of 2025.

This financial revelation anchored a high-level regional engagement convened by SSNIT and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) at the In-Service Training Centre in Wa, aimed at deepening pension literacy and addressing critical worker welfare concerns.

Operating under the theme "Empowered Unions, Secure Future: Deepening Pension Literacy Across Ghana", the forum brought together the top echelon of the state pension trust and organised labour. The dialogue spanned operational turnarounds, projected pension payouts, healthcare for retirees, and the unfolding national industrial action by civil servants.

Addressing the gathered union members on Monday, March 9, SSNIT Director-General Mr. Kwesi Afreh Biney defended the viability of the trust's assets, highlighting a remarkable turnaround of heavily scrutinised state-owned hospitality investments.

Following fierce resistance from the TUC that halted their privatisation in 2024, Labadi Beach Hotel raked in a GH¢77 million profit in 2025, while the previously struggling La Palm Royal Beach Hotel posted an audited profit of GH¢1.7 million.

"A lot more of our investments are doing well, and that accounts for the growth from 20.4 billion to over 25 billion," Mr. Biney stated, firmly rejecting notions that the Tier 1 scheme could collapse. "Ours is a defined benefit scheme, so no matter the situation, we have a legal responsibility and obligation defined by law, and we will not fail the Ghanaian worker."

The Director-General also disclosed that active scheme membership has surged to 2.1 million, with contribution collections jumping to over GH¢12 billion in 2025.

On the disbursement front, the Trust is projected to pay out GH¢8.21 billion in pensions by the end of 2026, marking a significant increase from the GH¢6.77 billion disbursed to retirees in 2025.

Mr. Frank Molbila, the General Manager for Benefits, emphasised the unparalleled security of the state scheme, noting that the trust absorbs all longevity risks.

However, he issued a strong caution to workers regarding the survivor’s lump sum benefit.

"You cannot use your friend as a nominee… you cannot use your girlfriend," Mr. Molbila warned, stressing that the law strictly recognises blood relations, spouses, and children.

He reminded contributors that under the Children's Act, a mandatory 60% of death benefits must be allocated to minor children if a contributor passes away.

The forum also witnessed direct appeals from the grassroots.

Madam Mercy Adongo, a staff of the Ghana Health Service in Jirapa, petitioned the Trust to allow contributors to access a fraction of their funds prior to retirement to complete personal housing projects, citing the inadequacies of public sector salaries.

The Director-General firmly rejected the appeal, explaining that Tier 1 is exclusively designed to guarantee income security when earning capacity is lost due to old age, advising workers to rely on Tier 2 and Tier 3 investments for housing needs.

However, responding to Madam Adongo's lamentations over the deteriorating state of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) for retirees, Mr. Biney announced a new initiative dubbed "Beyond Pension".

The Trust is pioneering a dedicated telemedicine service that will allow pensioners to access medical consultations remotely.

"Going forward, our members should be able to have premium services… there are professionals, doctors, and other experts on the other end to advise and guide you. That bill will not come to you," he assured.

The engagement also provided a platform for TUC Secretary-General Mr. Joshua Ansah to address the ongoing nationwide strike by the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) over a newly negotiated unique salary structure.

Defending the workers' right to protest, Mr. Ansah stated, "Strikes come with a reason. No worker will just wake up one day and say, 'I'm going on strike' without any reason. If a worker says he's on strike, then there is something chasing that worker from somewhere."

He issued a pointed reminder of the labour movement's foundational principle: "…if you touch one worker, you have touched all workers."

Commending SSNIT for bringing the dialogue to the Upper West Region, the TUC boss challenged the Trust and local union leaders to push the education machinery even further.

"Today, SSNIT has moved down to our level. We expect that we will also move one step down—to our grassroots," Mr. Ansah charged. "Your pension must be your everything because the very first day you are employed and given an appointment letter, that is the day you should be thinking about your retirement."

The joint nationwide outreach will proceed from Wa to Bolgatanga and Tamale as the leadership seeks to decentralise pension literacy across all regional capitals.