The Gomoa West District Oversight Committee of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), has appealed to the government to institute handsome annual awards for pensioners, in recognition of their contributions towards nation-building.

The District Chairman, Dr Mark Nii Lamptey, made the appeal at a press conference at Apam, to mark Senior Citizens Day, which falls on July 1 every year.

The APRM also urged the government to empower the Department of Social Welfare, to effectively monitor activities of the aged for verification, and offer assistance to them.

He appealed to the government to close the gap between members of the Ghana Government Pensioners Association (GGPA), and the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), in respect of their allowances.

“Whenever there is an upward adjustment of allowances, it should reflect the allowances of members of the two groups”.

He said the District Oversight Committee was satisfied with the measures put in place for the identification of the aged through the household system, and requested that the electronic system should cover the whole nation, to avoid corruption and delays.

Mr Michael Kweku Quaye, a member of the Committee, appealed to the government to provide the necessary assistance to pensioners, to enable them lead healthy lives in order to live longer.

He expressed regret that some pensioners were receiving monthly allowance of 100 Ghana Cedis or less, a situation he described as rather unfortunate, adding that some had not enjoyed any salary adjustment.

The Gomoa West District Social Welfare Officer, Mr Ben Mark, announced that 730 households from 25 communities were benefiting from the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) in the District.

Madam Maureen Azu, another member of the Committee, urged the government to expand the LEAP quota to cover more vulnerable people in society.