The National Pensions Au­thority Regulatory (NPRA) is to organise a fair to help enroll more informal sector workers and the self-employed on pension.

The programme scheduled for Monday, October 23 to Wednes­day, October 25, 2023 at the forecourt of the Accra Metropol­itan Assembly formed part of this year’s National Pensions Aware­ness Week.

The fair which is under the theme, “My Pension; My Future” is expected to provide a platform for identifiable groups like the driver unions, market women, Ghana Hairdressers and Beau­ticians Association, Tailors and Dressmakers Association, Ghana Hoteliers Association, the Ghana Enterprise Agency and other indi­vidual self-employed to formulate pension schemes for members.

The Minister for Employment, Labour Relations and Pensions, Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, will open the fair.

A statement issued by the NPRA and copied to the Gha­naian Times in Accra on Sunday, said the programme formed part of measures to improve infor­mal pension coverage in Ghana and also ensure holistic pension literacy.

The NPRA said it would be organised alongside the symposia to provide pension knowledge to workers in the country.

“The fair is to educate and sensitise both formal and infor­mal sector workers on pension matters,” the NPRA said.

“All pension scheme providers among other stakeholders will be showcasing their pension prod­ucts and services to the general public to explain and encourage all workers to enrol on pension schemes,” the statement said.

The NPRA said those already on pension schemes would be guided to enhance their pension benefits when they retire to help alleviate old-age poverty.

The statement said participation in the programme was free.

The statement explained that NPRA placed high importance on pensions for all Ghanaians, indicating that pension provision had become a human rights issue under the United Nations Con­vention.

“Pension schemes have now become the necessary substitute as an old-age security system for the aged, and also as a modern mechanism to provide retirement income to the aged for mainte­nance of their standard of living,” the NPRA stated.

The statement said self-em­ployed and all employees were encouraged to take advantage of this event to ensure their retire­ment income security.