Thursday, June 25, 2015

SSNIT BLOWS GH¢1M ON FOOTBALL FANS

SSNIT blows workers money on Black Stars
By William Yaw Owusu
Thursday, June 25, 2015

Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) spent a whopping GH¢1million (¢10 billion) of workers contributions on the supporters of the senior national team, Black Stars during Ghana’s participation at World Cup 2014 in Brazil.

SSNIT, which struggles to pay workers pension was the highest contributor in terms of amount donated to support the football fans for the mundial.

The Sports Ministry under Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, then Minister solicited over GH¢4.5million from corporate bodies to send football fans mostly NDC foot-soldiers to watch the football tournament in Brazil.

The Justice Senyo Dzemefe Commission which investigated Ghana’s participation in Brazil 2014 World Cup, recorded SSNIT as making its contribution on May 2, 2014 and the highest on the list of corporate sponsors for the football fans ferried to the tournament.

Interestingly, in recent time SSNIT reportedly resorted to deducting salaries of its staff in order to present to the victims of the June 3, floods and fire as part of efforts to fulfill its corporate social responsibility.

It is reported that after bad investments of workers’ contributions over the years, the state-owned company is allegedly struggling with cash and that has compelled them to resort to deducting staff salaries to meet some of its social responsibility commitments.

Reports say some large chunk of staff are poorly paid and many have been on the same grade for about six years with management not knowing what to do.

The latest revelation in the Dzamafe report is said to be causing anger among staff of the Trust who described management action as misplaced priority.

The recent biometric exercise initiated by the Trust is in limbo because poor management.

Struggling Institutions
Interestingly almost all the state institutions that are struggling with cash to make an impact on national development paid huge amounts to support the football fans.

For instance, Volta River Authority (VRA), Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) and Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) who are all struggling to solve the protracted power crisis known as dumsor due to lack of funds as well as the Ghana Aids Commission which does not have money to even buy anti-retroviral drugs for HIV-AIDS patients managed to find money to give to the Black Stars.

The VRA paid a total of GH¢53,500 on two separate dates while GRIDCo and ECG donated GH¢50,000 each and AIDS Commission also paid GH¢3,500.

Agricultural Development Bank (adb) which has been rocked by recent union agitation and the Bank of Ghana which is struggling to tame the rise of the cedi against major currencies donated GH¢250,000 each while Metro Mass Transit whose performance has been limited due to lack of cash paid GH¢1,235.

The Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) donated GH¢300,000 while SIC Life donated GH¢100,000 according to the report.







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