How Mo-Ne-Yo can work: A front-end solution people will actually use

By Isaac Frimpong (PhD)

This article is a continuation of the previous one. It sets out a practical way to make the Mo-Ne-Yo initiative real, one built around what informal workers already do, rather than what policymakers wish they would do.

For Ghana, where most workers remain outside formal pension coverage, the success or failure of Mo-Ne-Yo will depend less on intent and more on whether people actually join.

Picture an Adenta taxi rank. A conductor, Sampson, earns variable cash each day. He already sends 50 cedis to a driver’s emergency savings scheme, which they call “susu for emergencies.” Now imagine Sampson can top up a Mo-Ne-Yo sub-account in the same way, through his mobile money wallet or via the union treasurer who already collects welfare dues. He does not complete new forms or attend a town-hall registration event.

His existing habit is simply channelled into a pension that offers a modest match and access to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). That is how take-up starts. And take-up, or sign-up, remains the missing piece in almost every informal-economy pension policy so far.

Why Informal Workers’ Pension Schemes Struggle

Take-up fails when systems ask informal workers to behave in ways that feel unfamiliar, slow, or risky. For instance, many associate “registration” with new taxes, increased state scrutiny, or intrusive requirements.

Others worry about losing access to their money if institutions fail. Past financial-sector disruptions and weak enforcement of consumer protection laws shape these concerns. Additionally, for many, saving for retirement feels abstract and distant when daily needs are pressing.

Mo-Ne-Yo can only overcome these barriers if it aligns with how informal workers already save. Thus, in small amounts, at flexible times, through trusted intermediaries, and with visible short-term value.

Five ideas that will make Mo-Ne-Yo Real

 Put Groups at the Centre

Most pension schemes are built around individual accounts and direct engagement with institutions. Mo-Ne-Yo should take a different route. Informal workers tend to trust their associations, unions, and cooperatives far more than distant institutions.

Under Mo-Ne-Yo, these groups act strictly as entry points and mobilisers, not pension managers. Members still hold individual accounts, but enrolment and reminders happen through familiar group structures. Group-level incentives should focus on collective participation, not individual compliance.

Associations that achieve high and sustained participation could qualify for non-cash rewards such as training support, safety equipment, or administrative grants. These incentives are deliberately non-cash to reduce misuse and keep the focus on participation rather than patronage.

This turns pension saving into a shared social norm, rather than a solitary administrative task that is easy to abandon.

Offer small, guaranteed benefits upfront

Pensions are designed to smooth consumption over the life cycle, but informal workers need to see value early. Mo-Ne-Yo should therefore offer individual-level, visible benefits tied to participation, not contribution size. These could include:

• NHIS renewal after a minimum level of cumulative contributions
• Annual basic health screening
• A modest, time-bound government match on early contributions

These benefits are not substitutes for pensions. Their role is to reduce uncertainty, reward persistence, and make saving feel worthwhile before retirement feels relevant. Because these benefits are modest, capped, and tied to participation rather than balances, they can be piloted and scaled without creating open-ended fiscal obligations.

Build for irregular incomes, not monthly compliance

Most voluntary pension schemes assume regular, predictable deposits, an assumption that does not hold in the informal economy, where working hours and incomes fluctuate widely. Mo-Ne-Yo must therefore be designed around income volatility, not monthly compliance. The system should:

?      Accept contributions at any time and in any amount

?      Reward sustained participation over time rather than fixed monthly schedules

?      Allow associations to pool contributions to smooth uneven payments

By valuing persistence over punctuality, Mo-Ne-Yo aligns its contribution rules with how informal workers actually earn and save, rather than penalising them for irregularity.

Tailor it to each occupation

The manifesto promises a special pension for specific informal occupations. That promise must be visible in design, not just in name. While upfront benefits reward participation broadly, occupational features make the scheme feel relevant to daily working risks. Mo-Ne-Yo should therefore reflect occupational risks and realities, without fragmenting the pension system itself. This can be done through light, occupation-linked features such as:

?      Drivers and okada riders: accident cover, breakdown support, licence renewal discounts

?      Market women: fire-loss support

?      Farmers: crop-failure micro-payouts, credit vouchers

?      Creatives and artisans: tools insurance, certification support

?      Fisherfolk: safety-gear discounts, landing-site dues integration

These features do not replace pensions. They signal relevance. This is how Mo-Ne-Yo becomes recognisable as a scheme designed for informal workers, rather than a generic product with a new label.

Make Mo-Ne-Yo the Bridge into SEED and Tier 3

Mo-Ne-Yo should not manage pension funds or compete with existing schemes. Its role is to mobilise participation, build trust, and establish saving habits at the front end.

Once contributors demonstrate sustained participation over time, even with irregular amounts, their savings can be channelled into SSNIT’s SEED programme or Tier-3 arrangements for long-term fund management. This preserves the role of private trustees, strengthens SSNIT’s mandate, and avoids duplication.

For workers, the transition feels gradual and voluntary rather than imposed. For policymakers, it creates a coherent pathway from informal saving to formal pension coverage.

Conclusion

Mo-Ne-Yo has a strong political appeal because it speaks directly to drivers, traders, creatives, and other informal workers who remain outside Ghana’s pension system. The promise is bold and timely. But ambition alone will not deliver coverage. Success will depend on whether the initiative is designed around how people actually save, who they trust, and what motivates them to participate consistently.

With a practical implementation roadmap built around these principles, Mo-Ne-Yo can move from a manifesto pledge to a functioning entry point into pension coverage and truly deliver on the All-Covered Pension Programme.

Isaac is the Host – Mingop Initiative Podcast (YouTube),Researcher and a Consultant.
[email protected]

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