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Challenges in the Era of Globalization - iaabd

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Figure1.1Inflation and Indexation Rates(1997-2008)<br />

<strong>Challenges</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Era</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Globalization</strong><br />

Edited by Emmanuel Obuah<br />

Coverage <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pension systems<br />

Pensions <strong>in</strong> Ghana cover about 10% <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Nation’s workforce, ma<strong>in</strong>ly those employed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> formal<br />

sector (Pension Commission Report, 2006). The World Bank (1994), po<strong>in</strong>ts out that it is difficult for<br />

develop<strong>in</strong>g countries to succeed <strong>in</strong> achiev<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> goal <strong>of</strong> protection aga<strong>in</strong>st absolute poverty <strong>in</strong> old age.<br />

The <strong>in</strong>formal sector covers about 85% <strong>of</strong> all work<strong>in</strong>g population and yet only about 11% are covered.<br />

Middle <strong>in</strong>come nations such as Columbia and Peru have about 25% <strong>of</strong> work<strong>in</strong>g population covered (ILO,<br />

2000). Certa<strong>in</strong>ly, coverage <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>formal sector <strong>in</strong> Ghana can be <strong>in</strong>creased. Palacious & Pallares-<br />

Miralles (2000), <strong>in</strong>dicates that approximately two-thirds <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> World’s formal labour force, 85% <strong>of</strong> its<br />

households (Holzmann et al, 1999) and 90% <strong>of</strong> its work<strong>in</strong>g population Gillion et al (2000) also cited <strong>in</strong><br />

St .John and Wilmore (2001) lack any form <strong>of</strong> old age <strong>in</strong>come security.<br />

The ILO (2000), <strong>in</strong>dicates that widows and divorcees <strong>in</strong> develop<strong>in</strong>g countries are <strong>of</strong>ten subjected to<br />

discrim<strong>in</strong>ation and social isolation hence few <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m have access to <strong>the</strong> contributory pensions <strong>of</strong> Tier 2.<br />

In Ghana <strong>the</strong> situation is not too different; women represent about 50.5% <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> population (GSS, 2005).<br />

However, only 8% <strong>of</strong> pensioners who received benefits <strong>in</strong> 2009 were women (SSNIT Benefit Statistics,<br />

2009). The extent <strong>of</strong> coverage is worsened by <strong>the</strong> rate <strong>of</strong> withdrawals form <strong>the</strong> scheme. Between 1998<br />

and 2008 <strong>the</strong> proportion <strong>of</strong> members who withdrew from <strong>the</strong> SSNIT scheme were equivalent to about<br />

44% on average <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> active population <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> SSNIT scheme with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> same period.<br />

Management <strong>Challenges</strong><br />

The 2006 SSNIT annual report <strong>in</strong>dicates that between 2004 and 2006, <strong>the</strong> coverage ratio <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>vestment<br />

return to adm<strong>in</strong>istrative and management expense was about 3:1 on average.M<strong>in</strong>imum standards are not<br />

positive developments regard<strong>in</strong>g a fund’s susta<strong>in</strong>ability and <strong>in</strong>variably can affect <strong>the</strong> corpus <strong>of</strong> a pension<br />

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