Pensioners Threaten Demo

Pensioners who recently retired from active service from various departmental offices under the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) of the Central Region have vowed to stage a massive demonstration, should government fail to pay their pension claims.

According to them, CAGD and Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has for the past five months not paid their respective claims to enable them to cater for their families.

“We will not tolerate what the government and SSNIT are doing to us, pensioners. This shows they do not respect us. Why should we suffer for Ghana’s development and later be treated as such?

“We are in an election year and we need to make our concerns known so that, they will be addressed as quickly as possible because no one knows what will happen tomorrow,” they said.

This situation, they said, has created numerous problems for them, as some financial institutions they took loans from, were now after them for their monies.

The pensioners who stormed the office of DAILY GUIDE in Cape Coast on Wednesday said they have filled all the necessary documents required by SSNIT; yet, they have not been given their salaries.

A member of the group and former staff of CAGD in Cape Coast, who spoke on condition of anonymity lamented that on July 20, 2012, he was directed by the Cape Coast office of SSNIT to fill some documents which he did but has since not received his claim.

He added that he was also asked by the office to go to the headquarters of CAGD in Accra to push the documents, which he complied and was asked to expect his claims in three weeks. However, he has still not received his salary.

“I have walked in and out climbing this tall building several times just to take my pension claims and have still not received it. Why? Why? Is it a crime to go on pension? Look at an old man like me always climbing this building. Is this fair?” he quizzed.

The former CAGD officer noted that he returned to SSNIT office in Cape Coast early Tuesday morning to check for his claim only to be told his claim has not been released.

DAILY GUIDE learnt that SSNIT has not been able to pay pensioners because of the new pension law that has taken part of contributors’ funds for the second tier operators which have not been operationalized.