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<h1>Social Security Programs Throughout the World: Africa, 2013</h1>
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<h1>Ghana</h1>
<div class="exchangeRate">Exchange rate: <abbr class="spell">US</abbr>$1.00 = 1.91&nbsp;cedi.</div>
<h2>Old Age, Disability, and Survivors</h2>
<h3>Regulatory Framework</h3>
<p><span class="h4">First law:</span> 1965.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Current law:</span> 2008 (national pensions), implemented in 2010.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Type of program:</span> Social insurance system and mandatory occupational system.</p>
<h3>Coverage</h3>
<p>Employed persons who were younger than age&nbsp;55 in 2010.</p>
<p>Voluntary coverage for employed persons who were aged&nbsp;55 or older in 2010; self-employed persons and previously insured unemployed persons.</p>
<p>Special system for military personnel.</p>
<h3>Source of Funds</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Insured person:</span>&nbsp;5.5% of earnings; voluntary contributors pay 18.5% of declared income.</p>
<p>Of the total 18.5% of earnings contributed by the insured and the employer, 5% finances the mandatory occupational pension scheme and 2.5% finances medical benefits under Sickness and Maternity.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Self-employed person:</span> 18.5% of declared income.</p>
<p>Of the total 18.5% of earnings contributed, 5% finances the mandatory occupational pension scheme and 2.5% finances medical benefits under Sickness and Maternity.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Employer:</span> 13% of payroll.</p>
<p>Of the total 18.5% of earnings contributed by the insured and the employer, 5% finances the mandatory occupational pension scheme and 2.5% finances medical benefits under Sickness and Maternity.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Government:</span> None.</p>
<h3>Qualifying Conditions</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Old-age pension</span></p>
<p><span class="h5">Social insurance:</span> Age&nbsp;60 (age&nbsp;55 if working under hazardous conditions) with at least 180&nbsp;months of contributions.</p>
<p>Early pension: Age&nbsp;55 with at least 180&nbsp;months of contributions.</p>
<p>Old-age pensions are not payable abroad.</p>
<p>Old-age grant: Age&nbsp;60 with less than 180&nbsp;months of contributions.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Mandatory occupational pension:</span> Age&nbsp;60.</p>
<p>Early pension: Age&nbsp;55 and unemployed or self-employed; any age if permanently emigrating or retired before age&nbsp;55 according to the terms and conditions of employment.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Disability pension</span></p>
<p><span class="h5">Social insurance:</span> Assessed with a permanent disability and incapacity for any gainful employment with at least 12&nbsp;months of contributions in the last 36&nbsp;months.</p>
<p>The disability must be assessed by a qualified and recognized medical officer and certified by a regional medical board that includes a Social Security and National Insurance Trust medical officer.</p>
<p>Disability pensions are not payable abroad.</p>
<p>Disability grant: Paid if the insured does not meet the qualifying conditions for the disability pension (social insurance).</p>
<p><span class="h5">Mandatory occupational pension:</span> Must be assessed with a total or permanent disability.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Survivor grant</span></p>
<p><span class="h5">Social insurance:</span> Paid if the insured was younger than age&nbsp;75 at the time of death.</p>
<p>Eligible survivors are dependents named by the deceased.</p>
<p>Survivor grants are not payable abroad.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Mandatory occupational pension:</span> Paid if the insured dies before retirement.</p>
<p>Eligible survivors are named by the deceased; if there are no named beneficiaries, eligible survivors are persons specified in the rules of the scheme.</p>
<h3>Old-Age Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Old-age pension</span></p>
<p><span class="h5">Social insurance:</span> 37.5% of the insured's average annual earnings in the three best years of earnings is paid. The pension is increased by 1.125% of average earnings for each <span class="nobr">12-month</span> period or 0.09375% of average earnings for each month of contributions exceeding 180&nbsp;months.</p>
<p>The minimum monthly pension is 100&nbsp;cedi.</p>
<p>Early pension: From 37.5% (age&nbsp;55) to 60% (age&nbsp;59) of the full pension is paid.</p>
<p>Benefit adjustment: Benefits are reviewed annually&nbsp;and may be adjusted based on the average increase in the wages of contributors to the scheme.</p>
<p>Old-age grant: A lump sum of the present value of total contributions plus interest is paid. The interest rate is set at 75% of the prevailing government Treasury bill rate.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Mandatory occupational pension:</span> A lump sum of the present value of total contributions plus interest is paid.</p>
<p>Early pension: A lump sum of the present value of total contributions plus interest is paid.</p>
<h3>Permanent Disability Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Disability pension</span></p>
<p><span class="h5">Social insurance:</span> 37.5% of the insured's average annual earnings in the three best years of earnings is paid. The pension is increased by 1.125% of average earnings for each <span class="nobr">12-month</span> period or 0.09375% of average earnings for each month of contributions exceeding 180&nbsp;months.</p>
<p>Benefit adjustment: Benefits are reviewed annually and may be adjusted based on the average increase in the wages of contributors to the scheme.</p>
<p>Disability grant: A lump sum of the present value of total contributions plus interest is paid. The interest rate is set at 75% of the prevailing government Treasury bill rate.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Mandatory occupational pension:</span> A lump sum of the present value of total contributions plus interest is paid.</p>
<h3>Survivor Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Survivor benefit</span></p>
<p><span class="h5">Social insurance:</span> If the insured was a pensioner at the time of death, the benefit is a lump sum of the present value of the pension that would have been paid from the insured's death until age&nbsp;75. If the insured was not a pensioner, a lump sum of the present value of 15&nbsp;years of pension is paid.</p>
<p>The present value of the pension is calculated using the prevailing monthly Treasury bill interest rate or 10%, whichever is lower.</p>
<p>Benefit adjustment: Benefits are reviewed annually and may be adjusted based on the average increase in the wages of contributors to the scheme.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Mandatory occupational pension:</span> A lump sum of the total value of contributions plus interest is paid.</p>
<h3>Administrative Organization</h3>
<p>National Pensions Regulatory Authority (http://npra.gov.gh/site/) provides general supervision.</p>
<p>Social Security and National Insurance Trust (<a href="https://www.ssnit.org.gh">http://www.ssnit.org.gh</a>) administers the social insurance scheme through a tripartite management board.</p>
<p>Private trustees approved by the National Pensions Regulatory Authority, with the assistance of registered pension fund managers and custodians, administer the mandatory occupational pensions scheme.</p>
<h2>Sickness and Maternity</h2>
<h3>Regulatory Framework</h3>
<p><span class="h4">First and current law:</span> 2003 (health insurance), implemented in 2004.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Type of program:</span> Social insurance system. Medical benefits only.</p>
<p>Under the Labor Act of 2003 employers are required to provide 12&nbsp;weeks of paid maternity leave to all female employees.</p>
<h3>Coverage</h3>
<p>All residents of Ghana.</p>
<h3>Source of Funds</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Insured person:</span> See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors (formal-sector employees); a <span class="nobr">flat-rate</span> contribution of 7.20 to 48&nbsp;cedi a month (informal-sector employees), based on a means test. An additional 7.20&nbsp;cedi a year for medical insurance; contributors to social security, pensioners, and persons over age&nbsp;70 are exempt.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Self-employed person:</span> See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Employer:</span> See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Government:</span> The cost of benefits for the aged, the needy, and children up to age&nbsp;18 if both parents have paid the annual premium. Additional financing from 2.5% value added tax on general goods and services.</p>
<h3>Qualifying Conditions</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Cash sickness and maternity benefits:</span> No statutory benefits are provided.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Medical benefits:</span> Must reside in Ghana.</p>
<h3>Sickness and Maternity Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Sickness benefit:</span> No statutory benefits are provided.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Maternity benefit:</span> No statutory benefits are provided.</p>
<h3>Workers' Medical Benefits</h3>
<p>Medical benefits are provided under the National Health Insurance program.</p>
<h3>Dependents' Medical Benefits</h3>
<p>Medical benefits for dependents: Medical benefits are provided under the National Health Insurance program.</p>
<h3>Administrative Organization</h3>
<p>Social Security and National Insurance Trust (<a href="https://www.ssnit.org.gh">http://www.ssnit.org.gh</a>) collects the contributions and transfers them to the National Health Insurance program.</p>
<h2>Work Injury</h2>
<h3>Regulatory Framework</h3>
<p><span class="h4">First law:</span> 1940.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Current law:</span> 1987 (workmen's compensation).</p>
<p><span class="h4">Type of program:</span> Employer-liability system, normally involving insurance with a private carrier.</p>
<h3>Coverage</h3>
<p>Employed persons.</p>
<p>Exclusions: Military personnel, self-employed persons, casual workers, employers' family members, and agricultural employees working in enterprises with fewer than five workers.</p>
<h3>Source of Funds</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Insured person:</span> None.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Self-employed person:</span> Not applicable.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Employer:</span> The total cost is met through the direct provision of benefits or the payment of insurance premiums.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Government:</span> None.</p>
<h3>Qualifying Conditions</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Work injury benefits:</span> The insured must have at least six months of coverage.</p>
<h3>Temporary Disability Benefits</h3>
<p>The benefit is the difference between the insured's earnings before the disability began and the actual or potential earnings after the disability began. The benefit is paid after a <span class="nobr">five-day</span> waiting period for up to 24&nbsp;months; may be extended by up to six months.</p>
<p>The benefit may be paid periodically, as a lump sum or a combination of these methods, depending on the estimated duration of the disability.</p>
<h3>Permanent Disability Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Permanent disability benefit:</span> If assessed with a total disability, a lump sum of 96&nbsp;months of the insured's earnings is paid.</p>
<p>Constant-attendance supplement: If the insured requires the constant attendance of others to perform daily functions, 25% of the total disability benefit is paid.</p>
<p>Partial disability: A percentage of the full lump sum is paid according to the assessed degree of disability.</p>
<h3>Workers' Medical Benefits</h3>
<p>Benefits include medical, surgical, hospital, and nursing care and the cost of medicine and appliances up to specified amounts.</p>
<h3>Survivor Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Survivor benefit:</span> A lump sum of 60&nbsp;months of the insured's earnings at the time the work injury occurred or the occupational disease began is paid to the insured's dependents at the court's discretion; a reduced benefit is paid if the survivor was only partially dependent.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Funeral grant:</span> If there are no dependents, the employer pays the entire cost of the funeral; if there are dependents, the employer pays for the funeral, up to a maximum.</p>
<h3>Administrative Organization</h3>
<p>Ministry of Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare (<a href="https://www.ghana.gov.gh">http://www.ghana.gov.gh</a>) enforces the law.</p>
<p>Employers insure against liability with private insurance companies.</p>
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