Imagine dedicating 30 years to your career, only to retire with a meager pension.

This is the reality for numerous retirees who have invested their hard work and effort into the nation’s progress.

Such is the case for a cousin of Balbir Naa Densua Allan, who herself is a retiree.

Describing the challenges faced by retirees, she mentioned that she considers herself somewhat fortunate because her husband, a foreign national, receives approximately £150 in weekly pension, which is their main source of income. This amount is about 10% less than what he would receive if he were residing in the UK.

In contrast, her cousin, who worked in Ghana, receives only GH₵300. While this used to meet her needs, the recent depreciation of the cedi and rising medical costs have left her reliant on support from her family and children.

She recounted how her cousin’s situation would have been even more dire without her help, noting, "Life will be very, very awful  because look at the cost of electricity, look at the cost of the utilities , gas, water, the cost of a ball of kenkey and you want a person, she worked with Ghana Broadcasting Cooperation, and you want this person to survive on GH₵300 a month.

“When somebody like my husband has brought his pension in Ghana and he is earning like GH₵12,000 a month, he is at the base because he did the basic job and he is on GH₵12,000 a month and he can save some of his money,” she said.

She recounted that upon moving to Ghana, she sold her family property and invested the proceeds in microfinance and government bonds to provide for her family.

Unfortunately, due to the banking sector crisis, much of this money has been lost.

Balbir Naa Densua Allan mentioned that she now struggles to support her family members in need as she once did.