Gambia

Old Age, Disability, and Survivors

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1981 (provident fund).

Current law: 1987 (pension scheme).

Type of program: Dual pension scheme and provident fund system.

Coverage

Pension scheme: Employed persons in quasi-government institutions and in participating private companies.

Provident fund: Employed persons in the private sector.

Special pension system for civil servants and armed forces personnel.

Source of Funds

Insured person

Pension scheme: None.

Provident fund: 5% of basic salary.

Employer

Pension scheme: 19% of payroll.

Provident fund: 10% of basic salary.

Government

Pension scheme: None.

Provident fund: None.

Qualifying Conditions

Old-age pension

Pension scheme: Age 55 with 10 years of contributions.

Early pension: Age 45. (If the insured person retires before age 45 with 5 years of contributions, the pension is deferred until age 45.)

Provident fund: Age 55; or voluntary retirement from age 45 after 2 years of unemployment.

Old-Age Benefits

Old-age pension

Pension scheme: With 10 or more years of contributions, the benefit is a lump sum of 25% of the total contributions with the remaining 75% converted into an annuity. With a minimum of 5 years of contributions but less than 10 years, the benefit is a lump sum.

Provident fund: A lump sum equal to total employer and employee contributions, plus accrued interest.

Voluntary retirement benefits are paid as a lump sum at age 45 after a minimum of 5 years of contributions and 2 years of unemployment.

Early retirement: With a minimum of 5 years of contributions, benefits are paid to fund members who are involuntarily unemployed or to women who leave employment to marry.

The amount of the benefit depends on the age of the claimant and the length of service; the balance in the member's fund account is payable at the normal retirement age or under certain other conditions.

Permanent Disability Benefits

Disability pension

Pension scheme: A lump sum of 25% of the total contributions, with the remaining 75% converted into an annuity. In exceptional circumstances of serious ill health, the total amount is paid as a lump sum.

Provident fund: A lump sum equal to total employer and employee contributions, plus accrued interest.

Partial disability: 50% of the full disability benefit.

Further payments are based on an assessment of the disability, upon recommendation of the medical board.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension

Pension scheme: A lump sum equal to twice the annual salary of the insured is payable if the insured was still contributing, irrespective of the number of contributions; a lump sum based on the value of the accrued pension if the insured has opted to take an early pension; or the remaining balance of the pension if the insured was a pensioner.

Provident fund: A lump sum equal to total employer and employee contributions, plus accrued interest. The lump sum is payable to named survivors and eligible orphans.

Administrative Organization

Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation administers the pension scheme and the provident fund.

Work Injury

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1940.

Current law: 1990.

Type of program: Employer-liability system.

Coverage

Employed persons.

Exclusions: Armed forces personnel, casual workers, and family members living in the employer's home.

Source of Funds

Insured person: None.

Employer: 1% of payroll.

Government: None. (Contributes for civil servants.)

The maximum monthly earnings for contribution purposes are 1,500 dalasi.

Qualifying Conditions

Work injury benefits: There is no minimum qualifying period, but incapacity must last at least 5 consecutive days.

Temporary Disability Benefits

60% of earnings is paid for 6 months.

The maximum monthly earnings for benefit calculation purposes are 1,500 dalasi.

Partial disability: A reduced pension is paid.

Permanent Disability Benefits

60% of earnings, if totally disabled.

The minimum monthly benefit is 100 dalasi.

The maximum monthly earnings for benefit purposes are 1,500 dalasi.

Partial disability: A reduced pension according to the schedule in law.

Workers' Medical Benefits

Medical, surgical, hospital, and nursing care; medicines. The Injuries Compensation Fund pays 75% of the cost and the employer pays 25%.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor benefit: A lump sum of 120 months of the insured's earnings is payable to the insured's dependents; a reduced amount is paid if the survivor was only partially dependent.

The maximum survivor benefit is 180,000 dalasi.

The maximum monthly earnings for benefit calculation purposes are 1,500 dalasi.

Funeral grant: In case of no surviving dependents, 1,000 dalasi to meet the cost of the funeral.

Administrative Organization

Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation enforces the law.

Injuries Compensation Fund administers the program.