Features
Chasing the ghosts out of the national pension payroll
A ghost is an apparition of a dead person which is believed to appear or become manifest to the living, typically as nebulous image. It is the soul of a dead person believed to be an inhabitant of an unseen world or to appear to the living in bodily likeness. The word ghost has been corrupted and used in our everyday life. For example, we often hear of ghost names that have found their way into payrolls of public institutions and workplaces, resulting in the loss of huge sums of revenue at the expense of the nation. Moneys are paid to faceless people as a result of negligence on the part of officials who manage the public purse, thereby causing financial loss to the state.
HUGE AMOUNT RECOVERED FROM GHOST NAMES
Recently, Ghanaians were told that the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), in an aggressive drive to rid its books of ghost pensioners, has raked in over GH¢320 million savings which otherwise, would have gone to ghosts or faceless beneficiaries of the Pension Scheme who had passed on without their knowledge. According to the Director-General of SSNIT, Dr John Ofori-Tenkorang, the amount which had been withheld since 2018, covered the category of deceased pensioners whose guaranteed pensions entitlement had been exhausted.
“For persons who are on PNDC Law 247, that is the age of 72 and pensions on Act 766, that is the age 75…but at the moment, no pensioner who is on Act 766 is that old because, they recently just started going on pension. Every year, we have to ensure that pensioners reach out to the Trust and undertake their biometric registration…however, we know that this can come at an inconvenience for pensioners who may be bedridden or incapacitated and cannot come to the SSNIT offices,” he told journalists outside parliament on July 27, 2022.
COMPLETION OF PENSIONER CERTIFICATE
He explained before the Public Accounts Committee that, in order to ensure that payment of funds to deceased pensioners aged 72 years and above, under PNDCL 247 and those aged 75 years and above under Act 766, ceases, all pensioners within the stated age categories, were required by policy to complete a Pensioner Certificate once every year to confirm that they are alive. “Those who do not complete the certificates are deemed not to be alive and, therefore would have their names deleted from the pension payroll,” he told the committee.
He further explained that the SSNIT in 2018, changed the Pensioner Certificate renewal frequency from once every three years to once a year in a move to promptly identify and delete deceased pensioners age 72 years and above, adding that the Trust has since implemented a number of measures including Electronic tracking, deactivation of names of pensioners due to annual Pension Certificates Renewal in the new Operational System to tackle issues concerning deceased pensioners.
PLUGGING THE LOOPHOLES IN PAYROLL
The Director-General deserves commendation for the pragmatic policies put in place to plug the loopholes within the payroll of pensioners that enabled the country to rake in a lot of money that could have gone to the drain. The Pension Scheme had over the years been fraught with enormous challenges in which moneys were paid to deceased pensioners through their banks to their families and relatives, because of lack of information about them due to failure to report about their death by relatives and relations to the Trust for their names to be expunged or taken out from the beneficiaries’ payroll.
That problem might not come from SSNIT per se. It could be either from the establishments or institutions where the deceased worked, of which the failure by the employers to inform the Trust about the death or the reluctance of the deceased’s families to communicate the information on the demise of their relations to the SSNIT. In the case of pensioners, even though their entitlements have been duly paid to the deceased persons before they passed on to eternity, their monthly allowances will continue to be paid at the blind side of the Trust since there is no available information concerning their death. For this reason, the country will continue to have ghost names on the SSNIT payroll.
INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS BY SSNIT
Under the Pension Act, SSNIT upon receiving information of the death of a member including evidence of death will conduct its own investigations to ascertain the death and afterwards request the nominated and approved beneficiaries to apply for the benefits. If the deceased had not yet retired, most schemes will pay out a lump sum that is typically two or four times their salary. If the person who had died was under 75, this lump sum is tax-free. This type of pension usually pays a taxable survivor’s pension to the deceased spouse, civil partner or dependent.
For the benefit of my cherished readers and patrons, I will like to dwell a bit on the Pension Act of Ghana as it relates to deceased persons to enable them to be abreast of how it operates. The National Pension (Amendment) Act 883 was passed by Parliament on 31st December 2014 with the objectives of reducing the age exemption of those who Act 766 became applicable from its inception on January 1, 2010 from 55 years to 50 years and a mandatory contribution scheme with monthly contributions of five per cent on the basic salary of all employees among others.
WHAT THE PENSION LAW SAYS ABOUT DECEASED PENSIONER
After death, the pension benefits vary depending on the type of pension you operate. More often, the spouse of the pensioner can receive benefits upon the account holder’s death. That will be equal to quarter of the emolument for each completed six monthly period of qualifying service, subject to a minimum of 16.5 times the emoluments. Some pensions end at death, meaning that no beneficiary or family member gets the right to claim the pension. However, other pensions provide for payments to surviving spouse or dependent children for a few years and longer for others.
I am not an expert in pension matters but from my little research, I can conclude that the National Pension Scheme, is such a laudable venture which every worker in the country should take advantage of because there are more prospects involved in the scheme, especially when one retires from active service and has nothing to depend on, but to rely on your pension allowance. Life after retirement, is not an easy thing at all, because that is the time you will face a lot of challenges, especially healthwise. You have to invest a lot in medications to keep your body fit, healthy and active, and your pension money, although meagre can at least support, sustain and help you to manage yourself somehow.
PAYMENT OF COLA TO PENSIONERS
This is an issue which should be well considered by the government and to take a critical look at it because of the meagre allowances enjoyed by pensioners in the public service to cushion and help them to manage the high cost of living.
The management of the scheme must consider the recent petition by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and other well- meaning Ghanaians about the need to pay Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to pensioners in view of the current economic hardship to enable them to make ends meet. It is also important for workers to fight for better monthly wages and salaries instead of allowances, so that when they finally retire from active service, their pension entitlements will be higher, since the calculation of end- of- service pension is based on monthly salaries not allowances.
The scheme should be well protected and safeguarded, while at the same time ensuring that people are honest to report the death of their deceased relatives and family members, to enable the management of the scheme to expunge their names from the pension payroll to maintain and safeguard the integrity of the scheme.
By Charles Neequaye
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Conflict at work is more common than you might think. According to 2022 research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than a third of the workforce reports dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace. The same report found that managers spend an average of four hours per week dealing with conflict, and nearly 25 per cent of people think their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you’re trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved, here are seven steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
1. Don’t put it off
Facing conflict head-on is hard. However, waiting too long to address it can negatively impact your emotional well-being, focus, and the entire office environment. If you’re feeling angry, letting that emotion fester can also escalate it over time. This can make you less responsive to other points of view and make it harder to resolve the issue.
The sooner you can address the conflict, the better it will be for you, the person you disagree with, and your entire team.
2. Learn all you can about the problem
It’s important to determine the type of conflict you’re dealing with. Begin by considering the cause of the conflict. For example, ask yourself whether someone said something that upset you or if you have emotions of anger and resentment that stemmed from something that happened.
Then try to identify if it’s a task, relationship, value, or team conflict. Once you know what type of conflict it is, you can work to resolve it with specific tactics for that situation.
If you skip this step, you may waste time or escalate the situation further by trying to address issues irrelevant to the real conflict.
3. Actively listen
Listen attentively when people share their side of the story. Active listening is one of the most valuable professional skills you can possess. This type of listening involves not only hearing what the other person is saying but also listening to understand their point of view.
No matter your role in conflict, it’s easy to begin sharing your opinion with little regard for the other people involved. However, it’s important to learn about all sides of a disagreement to make well-informed decisions before drawing conclusions.
To reach a resolution, you must step back and prioritize listening over talking. Ultimately, that will encourage the other person to do the same when it’s your turn to speak. –source: betterup.com
Today, I focus on the Temple Of Praise Ministries International (TOP Church) in Helsinki, as I continue my description of personalities or institutions and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The TOP Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments that must be made known to the public. 
Some history
The Church was established in Finland in September 2016. Since its inception, it has steadily grown both spiritually and numerically, by the grace of God, as disclosed to me by Mr Matthew Anini Twumasi, the Presiding Elder of TOP’s branch in Finland. The TOP Church has other branches across Africa, Europe, and America.
The Church in Finland was founded with a vision to create a welcoming and dynamic community where people could experience God’s love and grace (see, www.topchurchfinland.org). According to Presiding Elder Matthew, the TOP Church operates within a unique environment where Christianity coexists with what is seen as a largely secular society.
Despite this, he submits, there are significant opportunities for outreach, unity, and demonstrating the love of Christ through service and community engagement.
Activities
Church services at the TOP Church are typically held on Sundays for the main worship. In addition, there are mid-week prayer sessions, Saturday prayer services, and a half-night service held on the last Friday of every month. “We also organise quarterly programs”, Elder Matthew added.
His impression of the Church so far has been positive. “It is a vibrant and welcoming community where members are committed to worship, fellowship, and supporting one another in faith”, he stated.
In sum, Elder Matthew said the Church continues to grow by God’s grace. “We remain hopeful and committed to spreading the Gospel, strengthening the faith of our members, and making a positive impact in society”, he continued.
Achievements
The TOP Church has a number of achievements and achievements. Some of the strengths include strong community bonds, cultural diversity, and deep commitment to spiritual growth.
I also remember that during the COVID-19 period, I heard that the TOP Church was one such bodies that hugely supported its members and others to cope with the situation.
According to Elder Matthew, the challenges facing the church include “adapting to cultural differences, engaging the younger generation, expanding outreach in a secular society, and securing a permanent place of worship”.
Role in the Ghanaian community in Finland
The TOP Church plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the TOP Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
The Church also has mechanisms in place to support its members who are bereaved as a way to commiserate with them in times of death and funerals.
The Ghanaian community has played a vital role in the growth of the Church. Their strong sense of fellowship, dedication to worship, and active participation have helped build a solid foundation and attract others to the ministry, according to Elder Matthew.
Integration
By its activities, the TOP Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society.
This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process.
The role of migrant associations and groups such as TOP Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
