Audit Service has organised a day’s Pension Clinic in Accra for 46 officers of various ranks who are due to retire from active service in 2023. The retiring staff who have served in various capacities for periods ranging between 15 and 41 years consist of both Management, Senior, and Junior staff.
The aims of the pension clinic were to take the soon to retire staff through the retirement procedures, healthy lifestyles, stress management, life after work, and investment options.
The Deputy Auditor-General in charge of Finance, Administration and Human Resource Development, Mr. Mohammed Zakaria Ali, who represented the Auditor-General, commended the staff for their allegiance and dedication to work.
He expressed the gratitude of the Board and Management to the officers and wished them well in their various endeavours.
Mr. Emmanuel Kofi Sackey, Head of Legal Department at the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) advised the staff not to be spendthrift when they receive their retirement packages but invest to assure themselves of a reliable income stream whilst comfortably resting from their toils. He also guided the officers on preparation of wills and the repercussions of a person dying interstate.
Mrs. Bridget Amoako-Atta, a Clinical Psychologist at the Pantang Hospital entreated the participants to prepare mentally and physically to deal with post retirement challenges. She recommended various strategies retiring persons must adopt in ensuring a smooth transition from a ‘professional life’ to ‘life after work’.
She advised all retirees to be health conscious, spend quality time with families, build social networks, engage in voluntary activities, and reconnect with old friends.
Mrs. Yvette Barnor, an Assistant Director at the Audit Service took the officers through the pension processing, pension and gratuity, re-computation of gratuity, death gratuity and commuted pension procedures.
The Audit Service Divisional Union of the Public Service Workers Union presented citations to the retiring officers for their meritorious service.
The President of the Ghana Audit Service Pensioners Association (GASPA), Mrs. Abigail Pentsil, who graced the Clinic extended invitation to the officers and outlined some benefits member stand to gain.