The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) will from September 1, 2021 delete the names of pensioners, aged 72 and above, who fail to complete or renew their Pensioner Certificates.

In a statement issued to the Ghana News Agency, on Tuesday, in Accra, the Trust entreated pensioners who were yet to complete their Pensioner Certificates to do so by August 30, 2021, to avoid any inconvenience.

It said at present, there were some 13,451 pensioners, 72 years and above, who received a monthly pension, but were yet to complete or renew their Pensioner Certificates.

"All such pensioners should visit the nearest SSNIT office to renew or complete their Pensioner Certificates. Those with mobility challenges may contact SSNIT to schedule a home visit for the completion or renewal of their Pensioner Certificates."

The statement said the exercise would ensure that pensions were paid to the right persons, adding that, the accounts of such pensioners would only be reactivated when they renewed their Pensioner Certificates.

It said: "Pensioners visiting a SSNIT office for the Pensioner Certificate renewal are strongly encouraged to carry along their Ghana Cards to have their SSNIT and NIA numbers merged if they have not done so already."

The release said since 2018, the Trust, had monthly, been deleting the names of pensioners aged 72 and above who failed to complete or renew their Pensioner Certificates.

This was, however, halted in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"SSNIT Pensioner Certificates are issued to pensioners, aged 72 who retired under PNDCL 247; and 75 years for those who retire under Act 766 and renewed annually,” it said.

“This is a mechanism put in place by the Trust to ensure that pension is paid to only retirees who are alive. Pensioners who fail to renew their Pensioner Certificates are deemed to be deceased and their names, consequently, deleted from the Pensioners’ Payroll."

It said as at the beginning of the year, the Trust had saved about GH¢144 million from the deactivation of accounts of 11,478 pensioners since 2018.

It said in June 2021 alone, the SSNIT Pension Scheme paid 231,316 pensioners over GH¢250 million.

The highest-paid pensioner receives GH¢129,979 each month whilst the lowest-earning pensioner is paid GH¢300.00.