All contributors to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) will undergo a biometric registration exercise, starting from May 5, this year.
The exercise, which is to be organised in phases in consultation with employers, is aimed at collecting biometric information of existing contributors and generating 13 alphanumeric social security numbers for those with eight-digit numbers.
The project is also designed to collect additional information on existing policy holders of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and those registered with the National Identification Authority (NIA).
The biometric data will facilitate quick and easy verification of the identities of SSNIT contributors in future.
The Koforidua Branch Manager of SSNIT, Mr Mohammed Achaab, made this known at a sensitisation programme for employees in the New Juaben Municipality in the Eastern Region in Koforidua.
The first phase of the project will involve the implementation of the enrolment module which covers enrolment of employers, enrolment and update of employee records and finally the biometric registration.
Heexplained that the objective of the enrolment model of the new system was to provide multiple service delivery channels, reduce drastically the member enrolment cycle time, eliminate multiple member registration through a highly secure biometric system, reduce fraud and facilitate easy identity verification.
Explaining further, Mr Achaab said SSNIT would also introduce a new numbering structure for all existing employers and establishments, which would be used to transact business with the trust.
New Members
He said all new members would be registered through the biometric system which would capture all their 10 fingerprints, their photographs and their signatures.
“Social Security numbers for newly registered members will be generated and made available to the member, employer and the registering branch within two working days which will start counting from the day the application is approved,” he added.
Mr Achaab said new members would be issued with smart membership cards within two weeks after an application had been approved.
Information kiosk
He said information kiosks, made up of a display screen card reader, a fingerprint scanner, a keyboard and a printer, would be made available at vantage points to provide service to customers, since they would be accessible to all registered members of SSNIT with valid smartcards.
Activities to be carried out there include viewing of transaction status, general enquiries and printing of statement of account.
The Koforidua Area Manager of SSNIT, Mr Sylvester Ankobil, said the project would ensure more efficiency in the operations of SSNIT in the country.