The Role of Social Institutions in Retirement Planning Information Dissemination in Urban Ghana

Abstract

Preparedness inadequacy for the retirement transition is one of the key reasons behind the need for planning information dissemination. The paper examines state and other corporate institutions’ role in retirement planning using qualitative data obtained from selected state and related institutions using the qualitative explorative approach. A cross-sectional exploratory design was used to investigate social institutions and how they shape retirement planning in Ghana. The study population pertained to institutions that performed retirement planning related functions such as the National Pensions Regulatory Authority, Social Security and Insurance Trust amongst others. Purposive sampling was undertaken in selecting 12 participants for the study. Targeted key informant interviews of social institutional officials were used in the process of data collection. Data was subjected to thematic analysis and managed with the NVivo software. The findings show that these institutions provide retirement planners with sensitisation regarding the new pension system and/or schemes, their modalities and benefits including retirement planning in general using mass communication conduits such as media forums, television, radio, outreach programmes, brochures including leaflets. However, a myriad of challenges were encountered by the pension service providing institutions in the process of their information dissemination exercises, namely difficulty in explaining the composite nature of the pension system to clients, the lack of cooperation from organisations consulted for permission before the sensitisation campaigns, poor retirement planner attitudes and low staff strength. In conclusion, the study’s outcome has implications for the realisation of retirement planners’ retirement goals including adequate planning knowledge. It is recommended that 'financial education’ should be incorporated into the national school curriculum. Further, the role of the National Commission on Civic Education must be expanded to entail financial education of workers and all Ghanaians at large.