The Chairman of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA), Mr Kudjoe Fianoo, has lauded the Self-Employed Enrolment Drive (SEED) initiative from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
The initiative aims at encouraging self-employed workers to join the SSNIT Scheme to enable them enjoy a decent future retirement and other benefits.
The GHALCA Chairman gave the approval of the initiative at the Afro Sports International Summit held at the Accra International Conference Centre last Thursday.
Mr Fianoo was part of the invited Speakers for the two-day programme that gathered invited guests and speakers from Europe and some African countries.
As a pensioner himself, Mr Fianoo pledged to be an ambassador, especially for the SEED initiative which he confessed that it was a good initiative and one that he recommended to self-employed persons and footballers, especially.
"I am a pensioner myself and would encourage all administrators, club owners, footballers who are on their own now to contact SSNIT to get enrolled. The same advice goes to other athletes such as boxers, athletes, swimmers, armedwrestlers and the supporters who are self-employed. I urge all to quickly join the SEED programme to secure their future."
As a former Chief Executive Officer of Ashgold Sporting Club, he recounted the premium the club placed on the payment of SSNIT contributions of players and other staff, adding that "that's why I'm now enjoying my pension."
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"If I had known that SSNIT actually delivers on their promise, I would have paid more during my working life to end more than what I take monthly which is quite substantial though," Mr Fianoo remarked.
Mr Fianoo, currently a Director of Accra Great Olympics advised the clubs to make the SSNIT contribution payment of players a priority because their future was heavily dependent on it.
He said it was unfortunate that in the past, the sports sector treated the issue with pensions as a preserve for civil and public servants, culminating in the harsh and difficult lives of players after retirement because they had nothing to depend on.
Responding, Mr Nkoo Joseph, the Northern Sector Supervisor of the SEED initiative, said the programme had come to accommodate the self-employed in the society that feels they have no place in the Trust.
Mr Joseph, who doubles as an official of Berekum Chelsea, gave an assurance that SSNIT was ready to engage the clubs and players to provide in-depth information on the initiative aimed at giving them a better future.
