Acting Public Affairs Managers for SSNIT, Charles has justified the rationale behind the decision for the merger of SSNIT and NIA numbers.
On June 28, 2021, SSNIT directed that SSNIT contributors need to merge their SSNIT numbers with their NIA numbers. This is to allow for the NIA numbers to be substituted for the SSNIT numbers. The merger is to be completed by December 31, 2021.
Justifying the rationale for the merger, the Acting Public Affairs Manager stated that the merger is at the convenience of SSNIT clients, as it spares them the inconveniences of having to carry both their SSNIT and NIA cards around.
He noted that per the law, an individual cannot conduct any form of transaction with SSSNIT unless they have their Ghana card, hence the need to merge both cards for client’s convenience.
‘’Over the six-month period, one million workers have done merged their SSSNIT with their NIA numbers. This notwithstanding, we still have a huge backlog of workers who have not done the merger,’’ he noted.
Responding to whether there will be any extensions to the 31st December, 2021, he answered in the negative, noting that an extension would be difficult.
He, however, noted that without a SSNIT biometric registration, one cannot do the merger.
‘‘The processes do not compare names or uses any other identification. The only identifier is an individual’s biometric details. Therefore, you need to have been registered biometrically at SSNIT before you can do the merger,’’ he explained.
