The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has launched its Member Value Programme (MVP), unveiling a major shift in its approach to social security by extending benefits to contributors and pensioners throughout their working lives, rather than only at retirement.
Launching the initiative in Accra, Director-General of SSNIT, Mr. Kwesi Afreh Biney, described the programme as a key milestone in the Trust’s ongoing transformation into a more responsive, people-centred institution.
“This is not just the launch of a product. It is part of a broader transformation in how SSNIT sees its role and how we intend to serve the people of Ghana,” he said.
Mr. Biney said the MVP forms part of a wider reform agenda built around four pillars; Engage, Evolve, Impact and Grow, aimed at expanding pension coverage, improving accessibility, enhancing service delivery, and making social security more rewarding for members.
He highlighted several reforms already introduced by the Trust, including enhanced digital services, co-location partnerships with banks to bring SSNIT services closer to contributors and employers, and the recent rollout of a telehealth service to improve healthcare access for pensioners.
According to him, the newly launched MVP is designed to complement these initiatives by giving members access to a growing network of trusted partners offering practical benefits that improve their everyday lives.
“Social security must evolve with the changing nature of work,” Mr. Biney said, adding that: “It must improve experience, deepen trust, and deliver practical value across every stage of life.”
He stressed that while securing retirement income remains SSNIT’s core mandate, contributors now expect an institution that remains relevant throughout their careers by responding to their changing needs and providing value beyond pension payments.
The Director-General noted that the initiative comes at a critical time, with about 80% of Ghana’s working population operating outside formal employment structures and the social security system. He said expanding pension coverage requires a more inclusive and attractive system that reflects how Ghanaians live and work today.
Mr. Biney emphasized that the MVP does not replace SSNIT’s statutory responsibility to protect workers’ retirement income but strengthens that mandate through innovation and strategic partnerships.
He announced Ecobank Ghana as the programme’s first strategic partner, revealing that the bank will issue co-branded Visa prepaid cards free of charge to SSNIT pensioners and members as part of the new member value ecosystem.
With more than two million members and an ambition to enrol over 300,000 new members annually, Mr. Biney said the programme also presents significant opportunities for businesses to partner with SSNIT while delivering greater value to contributors and pensioners.
He appealed to employers to continue supporting workers’ participation in the scheme and encouraged workers, particularly those in the informal sector and young people entering the labour market, to join SSNIT.
“We are building a scheme that not only secures your future but increasingly delivers value in the present,” he said, adding that the Trust is evolving from a traditional pension administrator into a modern social security institution focused on engagement, innovation and improving the everyday lives of Ghanaians.
