Two accounts to check, and most people only know about one

Ghanaian workers have contributions in at least two places, and many are only aware of one.

Your SSNIT record — Tier 1

Held by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust. You can verify your contribution history directly with SSNIT.

Check that:

• You are registered — employers must do this within 30 days of engagement
• Contributions appear for every month you worked
• The salary figure used matches your actual basic salary

Your Tier 2 — the one people forget

The mandatory 5% of gross salary, employer-funded, goes to a privately managed approved trustee, not to SSNIT.

Ask your employer:

• Which trustee holds your Tier 2 account
• How to request a statement
• Whether transfers have been made monthly

If you have changed employers, you may have Tier 2 balances with more than one trustee. Tracking them down later is considerably harder than doing it now.

Why gaps matter

Your eventual pension depends on the record. A missing period is a missing contribution, and the further back it goes the harder it is to resolve.

Penalties for the employer

Failure to remit contributions attracts penalties under the National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766). If you discover missing contributions, that is a matter you can raise.

Tier 3

Voluntary, with tax advantages. If you are in a position to save more, it is worth understanding — but it is optional, unlike Tiers 1 and 2.

A practical habit

Check both records once a year, and again whenever you change jobs. It takes little time and catches problems while they are still fixable.

Where to go

SSNIT for Tier 1. Your employer or the named trustee for Tier 2. The Labour Department if contributions have been deducted but not remitted.