Gov't pays over GH¢4.40bn to SSNIT, second-tier pensions

Government has paid more than GH¢4.40 billion to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and towards Second-Tier Pension obligations, Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has announced.

Dr Forson said the payments help protect workers’ pensions and show the government’s commitment to managing public money responsibly and meeting its obligations. “Government has paid over GH¢4.40 billion to SSNIT and for Second-Tier Pension obligations,” he said.

SSNIT runs the first tier of Ghana’s three-tier pension system, which pays monthly pensions to retired workers. The second tier is a mandatory scheme that pays contributors a lump sum when they retire. The announcement did not break down how much went to each tier or say over what period the money was paid.

The announcement follows another disclosure by the Minister that the government had released GH¢24.8 billion to statutory funds since January 2026. He said those payments were made on time and in full to support schools, healthcare, roads, and local development.

Dr Forson said the release followed the third-quarter statutory funds payment for 2026. The beneficiaries include the Ghana Education Trust Fund, the Free Senior High School Programme, the District Assemblies Common Fund, and the National Health Insurance Fund. The Ghana Medical Trust Fund, the Road Maintenance Trust Fund, the Mineral Development Fund, and the Mineral Income Investment Fund also benefit.

He said that, unlike in the past, when payments were marked by delays, capping, and arrears, such funds are now released on time and in full. Timely releases, he said, ensure the funds have the resources needed to deliver essential services to Ghanaians.

The Minister’s latest statement is part of a series of updates on government payments in 2026, as the administration seeks to demonstrate fiscal discipline and meet its financial obligations to public institutions.