Many Ghanaians are asking very serious questions about the four representatives of labour on the Board of Trustees
of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT, as well as the one person on the Board to protect
pensioners. Where were they when the proposal to offload the assets of SSNIT came up?
It is not the first time that Labour’s voice has been significantly silent when it mattered most.
In 2014, Merchant Bank, which was formed with SSNIT Funds in 1972, was offloaded to a nebulous entity called
Fortiz Private Equity Fund, whose backers remain unknown to date. At that time, just as is happening
today, Labour’s representatives were strangely (and strategically?) silent, at least where the public are
concerned. Merchant Bank was then rechristened Universal Merchant Bank (UMB), and is still in
operation, only not owned by Ghanaian workers, whose sweat set it up?
Why is Labour always silent in the Board Room, only to be heard off calling for agitation after the fact?
This is indeed a million dollar question.
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees are the Trustees of the scheme, and they are responsible for the policy direction of SSNIT.
The Trustees have representation from the government, employers, and workers. It is constituted as follows:
A Chairperson.
Two persons nominated by the President (one of whom is a woman).
Two representatives of the Ghana Employers' Associations.
Four representatives of Organised Labour.
One representative of National Pensioners' Association.
One representative of the Ministry responsible for Finance not below the rank of a Director.
One representative of the Security Services who is not a member of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The Director-General of the Trust.
Company Secretary of the Trust.
The four representatives of Labour on the Board of Trustees of SSNIT are;
Mr Joshua Ansah, Dr Evans Ageme Dzikum, Ms. Ivy Betur Naaso and Mr John Senanu Amegashie.
Why did Ghanaians fail to hear about developments concerning the offloading of the SSNIT assets from these
Trustee members who represent Labour, if this was a matter that co concerned Labour?
Why did Ghanaians also fail to hear from the representative of National Pensioners' Association? The representative
of Pensioners’ Associations on the Board of Trustees is Benjamin Asumang. Why did Ghanaians fail to hear from
him? How did he vote on the matter of the sale?
These are questions burning for answers.
