director general commends ssnit staff on oracle and bi

DIRECTOR
GENERAL
COMMENDS
SSNIT STAFF
ON ORACLE
AND B.I.
Mr Ernest Thompson,
Director General of SSNIT
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
2015
PERFORMANCE
REVIEW
CONFERENCE
HELD
PAGE 3
SSNIT
MANAGEMENT
TO UPGRADE
QUALIFIED
JUNIOR STAFF
PAGE 8
1
ACTIVE
LISTENING
IN
COMMUNICATION
PAGE 19
April, 2016
Mr Ernest Thompson articulating his passion on the use of technology
to boost the Trust’s business at the recent 2015 performance Review
Conference. With him are members of the Executive Management.
M
DIRECTOR GENERAL COMMENDS
SSNIT STAFF ON ORACLE AND B.I.
R. Ernest Thompson, the Director General of
the Social Security and National Insurance Trust
(SSNIT) has congratulated the management and staff of
the Trust for embracing the use of technology as a basis of
productivity.
This was contained in a congratulatory message he
sent to all staff whiles on official duty in the United
Kingdom.
“I am so fulfilled today. Once again, I have accessed
the Oracle Financial and Business Intelligence in faraway
London and done my work successfully.
Congrats to all and especially the MIS team.
I am happy that my vision to use technology as basis
of productivity is practically fulfilled even in far off UK.
All these could not have been done without all of
you”, he said.
The Oracles Business Suite deployed within the Trust
are the Oracle Financial Management, Human Resource,
Procurement and Legal Softwares.
The Oracle Financial Management Suite is a tool that
Management of the Trust has deployed to help with the
management of its affairs.
Business Intelligence is an analylic tool used to
understand the operations of an organisation.
The excitement of Management is that with the Oracle
Business Suite and BI, staff can work from anywhere.
Mr Lawrence Acquaah, Pension House Branch
Compliance Assistant clarifying a point on the OBS.
Mr John Mensah, (with the mic), the OBS Project
Manager explaining a point at the 2015 Performance
Review Conference.
2
April, 2016
Mr Ernest Thompson , Director General (right), Mr Peter Hayibor ( far left) General Manager, General Counsel Division , Mr
Noel Addo (second left) General Manager, I DD and Mr Laud Senanu, Acting General Manager, Operations
2015 PERFORMANCE
REVIEW CONFERENCE HELD
T
HE three-day Annual Performance Review
Conference of the Social Security and National
Insurance Trust (SSNIT) ended with a call on staff to
embrace technology as the surest means of improving the
quality of service rendered to pensioners and contributors
of the sheme.
The Conference held on the theme, “Translating
technology into performance effectiveness: Strategies
and Execution” was organised by the Strategic Planning
Department and attended by representatives of all the seven
(7) Divisions of the Trust.
Mr. Ernest Thompson the Director General of SSNIT who
opened the conference called on the staff to communicate the
laudable achievements of SSNIT to the public, particularly in
the area of enhanced benefit payments.
He indicated that, SSNIT currently pays a minimum
pension which is higher than the National Minimum wage and
also about 40 per cent of the 150,000 SSNIT pensioners are
benefiting from the minimum pension.
Mr. Thompson said pensioners who claim the monthly
pension they receive are too low, fail to realise that they
received low salaries before retiring.
“The problem is with salary, and as SSNIT Management
and staff, we have a lot to do to tell our story,” he stressed.
He said the Trust can only improve upon its performance
and effectiveness if the staff embraced the latest technology
deployed within the organisation.
Ms Rebecca Atswei Lomo, the Chief Internal Auditor,
who chaired the function, indicated that the use of technology
to process benefit payments could lead to the reduction in
mistakes, faster production of data and timely release of
relevant information.
“What takes hours and days can be done easily. With the
click of the mouse. You can get a member’s statement in real
time and deliver information at no cost,” she said.
Ms Lomo said further that technology would create value
for the Trust’s business.
By James Addy,
Corporate Affairs Department
(From Left) Mr Stephen Yeboah, Chief Actuary, Ms Sheila Sampson, General Manager,Admin. and HR,
Dr Caleb Afaglo, Ag. GM, MIS, Mrs Rosemary Sackey, Ag.GM, Benefits, Mr Van Hein - Sackey, Ag. GM Special Projects
3
April, 2016
THE CONFERENCE IN PICTURES
2015 PERFORMANCE REVIEW
CONFERENCE ­­—PARTICIPANTS
Some participant listening attentively to proceedings
4
April, 2016
SPEAKERS AT THE 2015 PERFORMANCE
REVIEW CONFERENCE
Ms Sheila Sampson, General Manager,
Administration & HR.
Mrs Rosemary Sackey,
Ag.General Manager,Benefits.
Mr Stephen Yeboah,Chief Actuary.
Mr Peter Hayibor, General Manager
General Counsel.
Mr Laud Senanu,
Ag.General Manager Operations.
Mrs. Victoria Abaidoo, Acting
Corporate Affairs Manager.
Mr Noel Addo,
General Manager, IDD.
Mr Van Hein Sackey, Ag.General
Manager, Special Projects.
5
Dr. Caleb Afaglo,
Ag. General Manager, MIS.
April, 2016
THE SSNIT 2015 PERFORMANCE REVIEW
THEME: Translating Technology Into Performance Effectiveness: Strategies and Execution.
HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESENTATIONS ON DIVISONAL
PERFORMANCE FOR 2015
The presenters were:
Mr. Laud Senanu – Acting General Manager, Operations, Mrs.
Rosemary Sackey, Acting General Manager, Benefits.
Dr. Caleb Afaglo, Ag. General MIS.
Mr. Noel Addo, General Manager, IDD.
Ms. Shiela Sampson, General Manager, Administration and
Human Resource, Mr. Peter Hayibor, General Manager,
General Counsel Division.
Mr. Van – Hein Sackey, Ag. General Manger, Special Project.
Mr Stephen Yeboah,Chief Actuary
Mr. Daniel Kwabla – King, Operations Accountant, for
Northern Sector, reepresenting GM Finance
Others were:
Mrs. Victoria Abaidoo, Acting Corporate Affairs Manager.
Ms. Rebecca Lomo, Internal Auditor and Chairman of the
Confrence
OPERATIONS DIVISION
INTRODUCTION
For the year under review, the Operations Division
focused primarily on Re – dedication to attainment of its
Divisional objectives as well as the Transformation of the
Business Processes through the Phase II implementation of the
Operational Business Suite (OBS).
This was meant to reflect the structural changes that were
taking place in the Division and the implementation of the
OBS Projects.
PRESENTATIONS
OPERATIONS DIVISION
•
•
•
•
•
•
OBJECTIVES OF OPERATIONS DIVISION
Enforce compliance through continuous expansion of
coverage
Improvement in Establishment inspections
Improvement in Contribution collection
Reduction in Contribution in Arrears
Improvement in Data Integrity
Improvement in Service Delivery
STRATEGIES ADOPTED FOCUSED ON
•
Water Producing / Packaging Companies
•
Security Companies
•
Hotels and Restaurants
•Schools
•
Construction Companies
Use of the Contact Centre to strengthen public
awareness and also serve as a medium to address
the concerns of the whistle blowers in non – coverage
by Employers.
6
NEW WORKERS REGISTERED
In 2015, new workers registered was 188, 183 against
187,000 targeted under the Strategic Plan showing a
percentage performance of 100.6%.
ACTIVE CONTRIBUTIONS
Active Contributions recorded in 2015 was1,242,385
against the target of 1,279,616.
Active membership grew by 28.9 during the period 2011
to 2015.
GROWTH IN ESTABLISHMENT POPULATION
Growth in Establishment Population was 51,237 in 2015.
The established population grew by 40.2 percent from 2011 to
2015.
CONTRIBUTIONS COLLECTED AND ARREARS
RERIEVAL
•
Arranged Special Training for SSNIT Prosecutors at
the Judicial Training Institute to improve capacity.
•
Combined publications of Court Deliberation and list
of indebted establishment in the mass media
•
Improved and Enforced New policy Guidelines on
the prosecution of indebted establishment upon
expiry of Demand Letter
•
Mass prosecutions exercise to ... retrieval of Arrears
•
Engaged regular ... Ministry of Finance to settle debt
owned by State Institutions
•
Gave wide publicity for SSNIT cases in cont... both
electronic and print media
•
Giving wide publications for SSNIT
Total contributions collected (2011 - 2015)
Total contributions collected between 2011 and
2015 was GH¢2,483.00 million.
CHALLENGES
The Data Migration exercise under the OBS Phase II posed
key challenges. Some of them were :
•
Unbalanced Employer / Member Data
•
With the existing records in the legacy system
•
Loss to Employer / member records during the Data
Migration onto the OBS Environment
•
Unregistered workers in Employment.
•
High levels of non – payment by Employers
Average Compliance Rate was 47.0% and 64.7%
for Employers and workers respectively.
•
High level of contribution in Arrears.
•
Under declaration of workers by some employers.
•
Non – submission of contribution Report by
Employers at the end of the month as stipulated in Act 766.
•
Public apathy and poor social security culture in the
country, resulting in low voluntary compliance.
April, 2016
Way Forward
The key issues for 2016 outline in the Action Plan include
•
Cleaning of the 30% un – balanced Employer /
Member Data
•
Aggressive Retrieval of Arrears to Reduce Employer
Indebtedness and improve Compliance Rates.
•
Enhance Bio metric Registration / Re – enrolment activities of members to introduce a paradigm shift
and efficiencies into our Business processes.
Some Strategies for 2016
•
Use of existing structures to ensure effective
registration of Establishments / Workers, Collection
of Contribution, Inspection and Accurate and
complete Data Establishment Payment Status.
•
Integrate the Marketing Department and the Contact
Centre into core operational activities such as sending
SMS messages to notify Employers on Contribution
Data submission and payment on the dates.
BENEFITS
DIVISION
Active Contributions recorded in 2015
was1,242,385 against the target of
1,279,616.
Active membership grew by 28.9 during
the period 2011 to 2015.
High Survivors Lump Sum processed for payment in 2015
was GH¢522, 457, 00 and the lowest was GH¢18.60.
Total Lump Sum paid was GH¢150, 55,069.92 as against
GH¢125,084,630.83 in 2014, an increase of 20.36 per cent.
Total Pensions paid in 2015 was GH¢1, 088, 592904, 27.
Total Benefits paid in 2015 was GH¢1,239,146,974.19.
Performance of Complaint and Adjudication Department
•
69% of Petitions were acknowledged within 3 days in
2015 against the target of 50%.
•
32% petitions were
resolved within six (6)
weeks upon receipt against the
target 50%.
• 63 per cent of dates of Birth were
processed with a
month against the target of 50%.
Growth in Establishment
Population was 51,237 in 2015. The
established population grew by 40.2
percent from 2011 to 2015.
Performance for
Pension Department
The Benefits
Division comprises
three departments –
Pension, Lump sum and
Complaints and Adjudication.
Overall Indexation Rate for 2015 15% and a flat amount of
GH¢36.92 compared to 2014 rate of 20% and a flat amount of
GH¢21.36.
Minimum Pension in 2015 was GH¢230.00 compared to
GH¢200 IN 2014.
•
Active Pension population in 2015 was 156, 262
against 142,076 in 2014, a growth rate of 9.98% over
2014.
•
New Pensioners for 2015 was 14,604 against 16,080
in 2014, a drop by 9.18%.
Anniversary Bonus Paid
•
151,409 Pensioners were paid Anniversary Bonus of
GH¢37,852,250.00 in October 2015.
•
The Amendment Act 883 Re – computation and the
Anniversary Bonus amounted to GH¢65,925.56
accounting for 6.02% of total Pensions paid in
the year 2015.
•
Records Department
• The clearance of claims at the
Records Department reduced
drastically from August 2015
because of the OBS.
A total of 8589 pension claim
SOME CHALLENGES
•
Huge number of Claim Applications cancelled in the
151,409 Pensioners were
paid Anniversary Bonus of
GH¢37,852,250.00 in October 2015
legacy systems which were to be captured into
``the OBS – 2029.
• Occasional system down times and slow down
especially in the afternoons
DATA CHALLENGES
• Difficulty and delay in deleting excess contributions for
periods up to 1982.
PERFORMANCE FOR LUMP SUMS DEPARTMENT
EMIGRATION LUMP SUM BENEFIT PAYMENT
Period of First payment: December 2015
17 members were processed in 2015 and an amount of
GH¢1,076,658.69 was paid to them.
Total Survives Lump Sum processed for payment was
GH¢127,974,745.22.
Total Old Age Lump Sum was processed for payment was
GH¢21,266,432.50.
Total Emigration and Refunds processed for payment was
GH¢1,312,892.20.
7
WAY FORWARD (NEW INITIATIVES)
•
Invitation to Members Aged 59 years 9 months to
update their records before retirement.
•
Introduction to con current activities in the Benefits
processing chain such as Confirmation and Post
confirmation activities.
•
Introduction of Emigration Benefits sanctioned by the
Amendment Act, Act 887.
To be continued in the next issue
April, 2016
SSNIT MANAGEMENT TO UPGRADE
QUALIFIED JUNIOR STAFF
T
HE Management of the Social Security and National
Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has announced that effective
June this year, a group of junior staff who have acquired
bachelor’s degrees and still remain in the junior ranks,
will be upgraded to the first entry point of the Supervisory
Management
level of the Trust.
This
follows the approval by
the SSNIT
Board of Trustees of
a report of
the Job Realignment
and Review
Committee
submitted
by the SSNIT
Management.
Mr Ernest
Thompson, the
Director General
of SSNIT
announced
the
upgrade of the junior staff at the just-ended three-day Annual
Performance Review Conference of SSNIT held at the La
Palm Beach Hotel in Accra recently.
The conference was under the theme, “Translating
Technology into Performance Effectiveness: Strategies and
Execution.”
It was attended by 170 participants which included
General Managers, Area and Branch Managers and some
Departmental heads.
The Trust in 2010 undertook an organisational
restructuring which brought about a change in the grading
system. Some junior staff who had reservations about
their placements, petitioned the Job Realignment Review
Committee.
The staff felt the realigned system
which determined promotion on the basis
of vacancies that are advertised did not
facilitate staff progression from one grade
to the other. They were of the view that the
system was unfair since newly engaged staff
were placed in the Supervisory Management class
while they remained at the junior staff level.
Mr Thompson said the SSNIT Board was not
against a return to the former grading system but
asked the Identifiable Bodies to engage Management
on how to implement such a reversal in policy.
Mr Thompson also disclosed that
SSNIT Management has given approval
for free supply of the corporate cloth
every two years, effective 2017.
Staff who may need more within
the period would be required to
DRIVER KYEREMEH GRADUATES WITH
A B.Sc. IN MANAGEMENT
Mr George Tutu Kyeremeh 41, a driver at
the Sunyani Branch has graduated with BSC
in Management with the Catholic University
College Fiapre, Sunyani.
Mr. Kyeremeh, was employed as a contract
staff and posted to the Techiman Branch
office in 2000 and made
permanent in 2002.
He was transferred
to the Sunyani Branch in
2006.
Mr Kyeremeh entered
the driving profession
as a Junior Secondary
school graduate. He
persistently wrote
his Senior Secondary
Certificate examinations
on part time basis, until he
qualified to enter the
university.
We wish him well!
Mr Kyeremeh receiving his certificate
8
April, 2016
SSNIT STAFF SEEK ANSWERS AT
PERFORMANCE REVIEW CONFERENCE
Mr Stephen Yeboah, Chief Actuary,
answering questions from the audience.
Ms Gifty Turkson, Nkawkaw Branch Manager asking a question
Mr Theophilus Afenya,
Risk Manager contributing to the discussion.
The turn of Mr. Elikem Amenuvor, Audit Manager.
Mr Edmund Sampana Dienorg, Tarkwa Branch Manager making a
contribution.
9
Dr Caleb Afaglo, clarifying an issue.
April, 2016
S
EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY
FOR EFFICIENT
PERFORMANCE — Ms LOMO
TAFF of the Social Security and National Insurance
Trust (SSNIT) has been urged to use technology in
their work to ensure a high returns in that investments.
The appeal was made by Ms. Rebecca Atwei Lomo the
Chief Internal Auditor, in her closing remarks at the just ended
three – day Performance Review Conference held in Accra.
The participants reviewed the performances of the Trust,
highlighted it’s challenges and made recommendations on the
way forward.
Group discussions were to analyse the gaps between
technology and performance effectiveness in Compliance
performance, Benefits Administration, Oracle HRMS Self –
Service, Oracle and Oracle Procurement.
Also discussed were Oracle Financial, OBS – Contribution
Management, Translating technology into performance
effectiveness and Managing change effectively.
Ms. Lomo stressed that there would be little return from
Investments in Technology (IT), if workers failed to accept it
or fully utilise its capabilities.
“Technology (OBS and Oracle softwares) and the related
infrastructure have come to equip us to create value for the
Trust and also deliver value to our customers (members). All
must accept and endeavour to use it to perform effectively,
so that the Trust can realise the returnS on investments
technology” said stressed further.
Ms. Lomo observed further that,
for technology to be translated into
performance effectiveness, a climate of
clear and strong bonding is an absolute
necessity and the building of effective
relationship with line managers is
imperative, to achieve success.
“Personnel at all levels must
develop strong ongoing partnership
with line managers.
Only through these relationships
can the necessary communications
occur to ensure that, both business and
technology capabilities are integrated
into effective solutions for each level
of the business for performance
effectiveness” she observed further.
Ms. Lomo said, IT should develop
a plan to proactively upgrade hardware
and software on a regular basis before it
slows the workforce down.
This was because dealing with slow
or obsolete hardware or controlled
internet bandwidth can slow down even
the most productive employee.
“The key is to keep employees
focused when using technology and
use it appropriately with the goal to
saving time and improving efficiency.
Sometimes, a phone call may be more
efficient and productive than an email”
Ms Lomo intimated.
She said effective exchange of
ideas and clear understanding of
policies procedures and to when it
takes to ensure successful strategies
are high on the list to enablers of
technology alignment and performance
effectiveness.
Ms. Rebecca Atwei Lomo, Chairperson of the Conference
10
April, 2016
SSNIT SENIOR
STAFF VISIT OTSEBLEKU
M
EMBERS of the Senior Staff Association
(SSA) who bought parcels of land at Otsebleku
in the Kpone-Katamanso District had a final visit
to the site to identify their respective plots and to
receive temporal site plans from Baseline Solutions,
the architects.
The Otsebleku building site comprises 550 plots and
covers an area of 131 acres. Three hundred and seventy
(370) staff bought the plots at GH¢ 10,013.00 each.
According to Mr Michael Dordor, Managing
Director of Baseline Solution, the land is fully
demarcated with access roads and commercial areas as
part of the design of the plan.
Mr Michael Donkor, MD. Baseline Solution explains issues on a survey
Mr Dordor who guided the staff to use their smart
map to SSNIT staff
phones to locate the exact spot where their plots were
located, promised to be available to those who intend to
visit the site again for further enquiries.
Mr Moses Nii Okpey-Mensah, the General
Secretary of the SSA, who led the staff said it was the
fourth official visit to the site and was happy that the
SSA had succeeded in facilitating the handing over of
site plans to every staff who bought the land.
He said the documentation of the entire land is
being processed in the name of the SSA to be followed
by the acquisition of Land Title Certificate.
Individual indentures would then be prepared
together with finalised site plans after errors of names
and plot numbers had been corrected.
Mr Okpey – Mensah (right) General Secretary of the SSA, directing
Ms Mandy Addy Corporate Affairs Officer of the Adabraka Branch of
Mr Okpey-Mensah said there had been suggestions
SSNIT, to where her plot is located.
by some staff that the contractor should fence the
whole community and said the SSA had instructed the
contractor to submit estimates which would require that
the cost of the project was borne by all staff irrespective
of where an individual’s plot was located.
SSNIT staff at the Otsebleku site.
SSNIT staff using an app on their
smart phones to locate their plots.
Mr Ebenezer Ameah, System Analyst, IT Infastructure and Mr
Kofi Boateng IT Applications examining their site plans.
11
April, 2016
T
COMPLAINTS AND ADJUDICATION
DEPARTMENT RELOCATED
HE Management of Social Security and National
Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has relocated the Complaints and
Adjudications Department, one of the Departments under the
Benefits Division, from the 6th floor of the Pension House Car
Park to the former auto mailer room, adjacent the Conference
Room on the ground floor of Pension House.
This forms part of strategies aimed at improving service delivery
to customers.
Mr Joseph Poku, the Adjudications Manager, emphasized that
with the creation of the Benefits Division, there was the need to have
a department to work on petitions, after benefits have been paid and
there were some problems.
The Department is also responsible for the resolution of Date of
Birth and salary hike issues. It also ensures that all matters relating
to Student Loan issues, such as Release of Guarantors and update of
loan beneficiary records after loan repayment, are effected.
The Complaints and Adjudications Department (CAD) not only
ensures fairness in addressing customer complaints and petitions,
but also develop and implement an adjudicative system which would
ensure prompt and effective resolution of all applications.
The re-location, according to Mrs Wereko-Ampim Opoku, was
laudable, in the sense that it made it more accessible for retirees and
clients, mostly those advanced in age, to visit our offices.
She reiterated that the creation of this new department, was going
to enhance the
work of the Trust
by ensuring the
swift resolution
of petitions
and ensure that
accurate and
correct data was
available before
the computation of
benefits.
By Yaw Asare,
Corporate Affairs
Dept
Mrs Wereko-Ampim Opoku, Complaints and
Adjudications Manager
Staff of the Complaints and Adjudications Department
at work
Mr Joseph Poku, Adjudications Manager
Mr Percy Ocloo, Head of Analysis Unit interacting with a complainant
12
Mr Eric Quaye, Students Loan Manager
April, 2016
SSNIT DONATES GH¢ 50,000.00
TO ASSIST AUTISTIC CHILDREN
T
HE Management of the Social Security and National
Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has donated GHC50, 000
to Creative New Beginnings, the charity organization
dedicated to the care of autistic children at Frafraha in
the Adentan Municipality, near Accra.
The cheque was presented by Mrs. Victoria Abaidoo, the
Acting Corporate Affairs Manager and received by Mr. Seth
Ocran, Director of Creative New Beginnings.
She reiterated that the donation was a corporate social
responsibility towards the expansion of facilities for autistic
children.
Mrs Abaidoo said by assisting the vulnerable autistic
children, the Trust was helping society. Mrs. Abaidoo said if
society grew, parents of autistic children would also have the
peace of mind to work hard and contribute to the scheme.
Mr. Ocran thanked the management of SSNIT for the
donation, and assured that the money would be judiciously
used to expand the facility as intended.
He disclosed that Creating New Beginnings is a platform
through which parents of autistic children team up with
instructors to build a future for their autistic children.
“If you have an autistic child that, that is not the end, they
can be given the necessary education for them to contribute to
society” , he advised parents.
Mrs. Abaidoo used the opportunity to remind the media
that, the core mandate of SSNIT is to replace lost incomes of
workers in Ghana.
She intimated that benefits are paid to contributors was
based on the aggregate of their three years’ salaries. Mrs.
Abaidoo said 50 percent of the 150,000 SSNIT Pensioners in
the country earned the minimum pension of GH¢ 279, which
is higher than the national minimum wage.
She said SSNIT is able to pay pensions because of its
prudent investments in viable sectors of the economy, and that
it is determined to ensure that the economy grows by assisting
the government of the day.
Mrs. Abaidoo urged all Ghanaian workers to register
with the scheme and to update the records of the nominated
beneficiariesregularly. Mrs Abaidoo told the media that
SSNIT had automated its administrative processes and asked
all workers to secure their biometric cards from SSNIT
branches across the country to ensure faster processing of
their benefits.
Creative New beginnings which was founded in 2012,
currently has 30 autistic children aged between the ages of
three (3) to fifteen (15) years and intends to use the funds
to, among other things expand its facilities to cater for 100
children.
Autism is defined by Medical Today as “A neurological
disorder that has an effect on normal brain function, affecting
development and the person’s communication and social
interaction skills”.
BY: MS VERONICA ANOM-DARKO, CORPORATE
AFFAIRS DEPT
Mrs Abaidoo(4th left) with staff of the Corporate Affairs Department and Creative New Beginnings displaying the dummy cheque.
Mrs Abaidoo (left) presenting the dummy cheque to Mr Ocran.
13
Mrs Abaidoo briefing journalists on the operations of the Trust.
April, 2016
SSNIT PRESENTS GH¢ 35,000.00
TO GHANA BLIND UNION
T
HE Management of the Social Security and National
Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has presented GH¢35, 000 to
the Ghana Blind Union (GBU) at their office in Accra.
Mrs. Victoria Abaidoo, the Acting Corporate Affairs
Manager, who presented the cheque to the Union reiterate that
SSNIT was making the donation as part of its corporate social
responsibility activities towards a charitable cause and also
assisting the Union to upgrade its ICT facilities.
She recalled the Trust’s interest in technology and how it
has automated its systems to eliminate the delays in benefit
processing and payment and applauded the GBU for being
computer oriented and remarked that it was mind blowing and
worthy of assistance.
She hoped the donation would help people with disability
to be trained to compete with their counterparts outside the
country and called on other institutions to emulate SSNIT in
this regard.
Mrs. Abaidoo said that SSNIT was happy with the
sponsorship request from the Blind Union. She lauded the
importance the visually impaired attach to information
technology by putting up a Computer Centre by and said the
Center would enable the Trust to relate and communicate
with the visually impaired better particularly to those who are
contributors to the Scheme.
The Executive Director of the GBU, Dr Peter Obeng –
Asamoa, thanked the Trust for the donation and encouraged
other organizations to follow suit.
Technology is making visually impaired people do
more by using the computers and smart phones to upgrade
themselves, she reiterated.
Dr. Obeng Asamoa disclosed that the Union has trained
more than 600 people who are currently working as teachers
and with other sectors and helping with the development of
the country.
The Ghana Blind Union is a merger of the Ghana
Association of the Blind and The Ghana Society of the Blind.
BY: MS VERONICA ANOM-DARKO, CORPORATE
AFFAIRS DEPT
Mr Razak Yusisif, a visually-impaired student, using
the screen reader software to prepare a statement of
accounts.
Mrs Abaidoo presenting the dummy cheque to Dr. Peter Obeng - Asamoa
Mrs Theodora Apotsi, Co-ordinator of the Materials Resource Centre for the
Disabled explaining a point to staff of the Corporate Affairs Department
14
Rev Peter Korley demonstrating the use of the Braille
Embossor machine.
April, 2016
The Area Manager, Mr Frank Molbila, interacting with some of the pensioners.
The Pensioners popping champagne to signify their satisfaction whilst the Area and Branch Managers look on in admiration
KUMASI SSNIT PENSIONERS
ASSOCIATION GETS NEW OFFICE
A
GH¢28,000 refurbished office at the ground floor of
the Asafo Branch of the Social Security and National
Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has been presented to the
Kumasi district of the SSNIT Pensioners Association.
At a ceremony to officially hand over the office which
comprised washrooms and a waiting area to the executives of
the association, Mr Frank Molbila, the Area Manager cut the
tape to inaugurate the project. This in fulfillment of a longstanding promise to a request by the Pensioners Association
for space at the ground floor of the four-storey building by
our major stakeholder.
The Area Manager was appreciative of their patience
and said, “the result is what we are witnessing today”.
He commended the association for bringing all SSNIT
pensioners together to work for their wellbeing.
He noted that it was the wish of every worker to retire
honourably to enjoy the fruits of their labour and encouraged
them to live healthy lifestyles.
The chairman of the association, Mr C.K. Djan, thanked
SSNIT Management for heeding to their call for the
relocation of their office.
He said, the third floor of the building which initially
housed the association posed a big challenge to many of
its ageing members when they visited the office and were
therefore happy to have their dream come true.
Also present at the meeting were Mr. Franklin Newlove
Alorvor, Branch Manager Asafo; executives of the Kumasi
district of the Association, Mr Bright Onomah, the Corporate
Affairs Representative and some staff of the Asafo office.
15
April, 2016
LUMP SUM DEPARTMENT
BIDS FAREWELL TO 2 STAFF
S
TAFF of the Lump
sum Department have
held a send-off for two
retiring staff in Accra.
Mrs Mercy Afunya
Addo, Stenographer
Secretary has served the
Trust for 38 years and 7
months whilst Mr Victor
OdarteyAryee, Senior
Benefits Assistant has
worked for 33 years 3
months.
Citations read on
their behalf, praised their
hardwork, dedication and
good character which
characterised their working
life with SSNIT.
The occasion was graced
by Mrs Rosemary Sackey,
Ag. GM Pensions, Mrs
Beatrice Osafo, Lump Sum
Manager, Mrs WerekoAmpim Opoku, Complaints
and Adjudication Manager
and a delegation from the
Ladies Club led by Ms
Evelyn Ampoful, Actuarial
Manager.
By Yaw Asare,
Corporate Affairs Dept
Mrs Wereko-Ampim Opoku (left) presenting a parcel to Mrs Mercy Addo
Mrs Beatrice Osafo presenting a gift to Mr Victor Aryee
Mrs Addo and Mr Aryee jointly cutting a cake to mark their 60th birthday
16
April, 2016
A
SEND OFF FOR TWO RETIREES OF BENEFITS DIVISION
FAREWELL ceremony has been held for Mrs
Patricia Biney and Mr Charles Antieh both former
staff of the Complaints and Adjudication Department
under the Benefits Division.
The occasion was graced by Mrs Rosemary Sackey,
Ag. GM Benefits, Mrs Mary Nagetey Human Resource
Manager, Mrs Faustina Nti, Ladies Club President, Mr Harold
Brookman -Amissah, Pensions Manager, Mrs Beatrice Osafo,
Lump Sum Manager and Mr Asamoah Mensah, retired former
Chief Internal Officer and members of staff of the Benefits
Division.
Various congratulatory messages to Mr Antieh and Mrs
Biney praised their invaluable contribution to the SSNIT.
Their good virtues and charming personalities were also
hailed.
The Retirees thanked the gathering for their presence,
support and gifts and advised the younger staff to show
devotion and commitment to SSNIT work.
Mr Charles Antieh has worked for 33 years 8 months while
Madam Patricia Biney served the Trust for 40 years 1 month.
Mr Charles Antieh (left) receiving a parcel from
Mr Ishmeal Ortsin of Complaints and Adjudication Dept.
Mrs Rosemary Sackey ( standing ) making her
speech at the ceremony.
Mrs Biney (middle) being supported by Mrs Faustina Nti (2nd rght), Ms Evelyn Ampoful, Actuarial Manager(4th left) and
some executives of the Ladies club to cut the 60th anniversary cake.
SEND - OFF FOR TECHIMAN BRANCH MANAGER
T
here was a brief send – off
ceremony has been organised for
the retiring Manager of the Techiman
Branch of the Trust, Mr. Anthony
Cobbinah.
It was attended by staff of all the
Sunyani Area offices. In a speech read
on her behalf Ms. Gertrude Anyinsah ,
the Area Manager exhorted Mr Cobbinah
for his hard work and wished him
enjoyable retirement.
Mr. Cobbinah in turn thanked the
management and staff for their support
during his tenure and encouraged them
to work harder, to see the Trust through
more successes in the ensuing years.
Mr. Anthony Cobbinah(left) receiving plaque from Mrs Freda Ampoful,
Sunyani Branch Manager
17
April, 2016
RECORDS MANAGEMENT
WHAT IS A RECORD
LIFECYCLE?
18
April, 2016
ACTIVE LISTENING
IN COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION
N interpersonal skill such as active listening is a habit
in effective communications that everybody must
cultivate especially in the work place environment when
human interactions are needed to meet company goals
and objectives.
The Newssheet brings readers excerpts on listening from
the book “Effective Communications” by Steve Shipside for
publication.
Communication is management. Whether your goal is to
get other to agree, make yourself heard, instruct, motivate,
or inspire, communication is key. Many if not most business
problems spring from failure to communicate, leading to
understandings and mistrust. What’s usually at fault is
a failure to start out with the most important element in
communication – listening. If you want to influence people,
you first need to know how they think, and good listening
is the building block for everything else in business. This
chapter shows you how to:
• Listen actively to others
• Ask questions that count
• Identify hidden agendas
• Bridge communication gaps
• Clarify and confirm mixed massages
A
Be Heard by Listening Better
The word “communication”
comes from the idea of sharing,
or communing, with others. The
truly great communicators know
that good listening is one of the
key weapons in their arsenal or
techniques.
don’t think that he worth listening to. How rude is that?
“We are given two ears and one mouth because listening is
twice as hard as talking”
Good Listening Techniques
There are techniques that you can employ to become a
better listener immediately. Some of them require you to use
the whole body, not just the ears and brain.
• Make the person to whom you are listening your focus.
Stop everything else that you are doing.
• If you are listening to a group take your mobile phone
out and turn it off.
• Face the person you are listening to; if necessary shift
your body position.
• Listen carefully to the words but don’t be deaf to the
emotion and feeling behind them. Strong words could be
masking feelings and vice versa.
• Be aware of prejudices and preconceptions that may
influence your listening.
• Acknowledge and confirm the message by paraphrasing
and repeating key points (knowing that you will be doing this
is an effective way to help you to listen more effectively).
• If it’s appropriate to state your own views (and it may
not be) then do this only after you have listened to what is
being said.
Make sure that you maintain eye contact throughout.
Don’t just make eye contact while listening then break it off
when you are speaking.
Make it clear to those who
Interruption suggests that you lack the
want to talk to you that you
have blocked off your time
time or the patience to hear someone out.
for their benefit. If you are
This means that you will never really hear
likely to be called away, or
what the person is saying, and may be
to run out of time, make it
clear before it happens.
signalling to him that you don’t think that he
Improve Your Listening
worth listening to
Skills
Listen Actively
Great listening is what
Active listening
enables you to talk to people in their own terms, to build
(sometimes referred to as empathetic listening) is a technique
bridges, and to help people feel they are being heard and that
frequently used by educators and counsellors because it is a
what you are proposing is good for them as well as for you.
structured technique of listening that focuses firmly on the
However, nobody teaches us to listen, any more than they
person speaking.
teach us to breathe or run. It’s a skill that we presumed to
have naturally, but some natural skills are better than others,
Pay Attention
and there is always room for improvement.
Active listening goes beyond passive listening (where you
hear what is being said but don’t respond). It encourages the
Learn to Listen
speaker to voice his views and ensures that the listener has
We can speak at a rate of over 100 words a minute, but
really understood what was meant. The key element of active
we can listen at more than twice that speed. This means that
listening is that, whether or not you agree with what’s being
there is often a temptation for our brains to be doing other
said, you repeat it to yourself by paraphrasing the key points.
things at the same time as listening. We may think or say
This serves a number of purposes:
that we are listening, but more often than not we are actually
• It encourages you to give the subject your full attention.
thinking our own thoughts, or getting distracted, worrying,
• It shows the speaker that you are paying attention.
or daydreaming. Worst of all, we interrupt people when they
• It reduces the possibility of misunderstandings.
are talking, or jump in and finish their sentences. Interruption
• It helps present the listener in an empathetic light –
suggests that you lack the time or the patience to hear
trying to understand, not contradict.
someone out. This means that you will never really hear what
• It encourages the speaker to develop aloud his argument
the person is saying, and may be signalling to him that you
and his feelings about it. Querying
19
April, 2016
RESULTS OF 2016 SSA
ELECTIONS
20
April, 2016
21
April, 2016
22
April, 2016
23
April, 2016
Electoral officials from the Corporate Affairs Dept. collating the SSA election
results at the conference hall, Pension House.
24
April, 2016
STAFF RETIREMENT
The under-mentioned staff retired from the Trust in the month of APRIL 2016.
NAME
DEPARTMENT /
BRANCH
JOB TITLE
Mrs. Thereasa Agyeman - Duah
Bekwai
Benefit Officer
Mr. Samuel Kwasi Aklasu
Ho
Senior Driver
Mrs. Angelina Odame - Kpende
Koforidua
Senior Benefits Officer
Ms. Mercy Afunya Addo
Lump Sum
Asst. Stenographer Sec.
PROSECUTIONS
SSNIT COURTS ( April 2016)
CASES – 2015
CATEGORY
TOTAL NO. OF CASES
CASES INITIATED
Cases Filed in Court
New Cases Initiated
Cases Disposed of
Arrears/J-Debt retrieved January 2016
Cases Pending in Court as at January
2016
215
467
261
440
AMOUNT (GH¢)
GHC895,370.00
3,905,830.00
1,282,230.00
3,904,680.00
10,109,590.00
STATISTICS ON PENSIONS – APRIL 2016
BENEFITS
Highest Pension
Lowest Pension
Average Pension
Highest 25% L/S
Lowest 25% L/S
Feb 2016 (GH¢)
8,534.22
276.00
711.07
258,037.96
0.55
Since Inception (GH¢)
29,677.50 (Indexed)
0.50
738,102.00
0.10
PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF PENSIONS - APRIL 2016
The percentage distribution of paid pension by type since the inception of the scheme is as follows:
Retirement (Age 60+)
Retirement (Age 60+),(+25%L/S) Residual
Early Retirement (Age 55 – 59)
Early Retirement (+25% L/S)-Residual
Invalidity Pension
Invalidity Pension (+25% L/S) – Residual
Total
No. of Pensioners
1,691
109,066
703
46,904
175
974
159,513
25
%
1.06%
68.37%
0.44%
29.40%
0.11%
0.61%
100
April, 2016
STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENTS - APRIL 2016
MONTH
Cash GH¢
FEB 2016
1989- JAN.
2015
MAR 2015
S.S.F.
GH¢
273,464
192,917
63,243,397 117,216,600
273,464
192,917
1989 - MAR. 63,540.143 117,387,868
2015
Payment Mode
Benefits
Total
GH¢
GH¢
MONTHLY
TARGET
GH¢
% PERFORMANCE
27,346
9,031,554
493,727
189,491,551
1,000,000
-
49.3
-
27,346
493,727
700,000
70. 53
9,069,740
189,997,751
.
.
ISSUED BY THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
29/04/2016
***********************
26
April, 2016