Court action against E&P still pending – SSNIT

The Social Security and National Insurance Trust(SSNIT) has said the lawsuit against construction firm, Engineers and Planners(E&P) is still pending because the company defrayed its debt only a day before the court action.

The Public Affairs Director of SSNIT, Eva Amegashie said the case is still open, adding that it only lies in the bosom of the court to determine the criminality or otherwise of the case despite the payments made by the embattled firm.

E&P claimed it had settled all its indebtedness as of April,28,2017.

The company, owned by Ibrahim Mahama, brother of former President, John Mahama was sued for allegedly failing to pay the Social Security contributions of its workers.

But in a statement, Engineers and Planners said it has paid off all outstanding debt to SSNIT based on earlier negotiated agreement.

“As at 28th April 2017, E&P had made a total payment of over GHc 2 million (GHc2,723,212.36) in full satisfaction of all outstanding arrears and penalties”.

The statement added that lawyers for the company had informed SSNIT that the amount had been paid before the court session was called.

But Amegashie in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM still contends that the case cannot be closed on the basis of the last minute payments made by E&P.

“Engineers and Planners indebtedness was settled on a day before the court hearing on Saturday. So they paid on Friday, when the court hearing was on Saturday.

But the criminal offence is still pending, because they were taken to court and they paid before. So it is the court that will decide on the final verdict on Saturday, May 13, 2017.”