Professor Alabi 100% in support of SSNIT probe

The immediate past board chairman of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust, Professor Joshua Alabi, says he roundly supports any investigations into the operations of the nation’s pensions-management body.

“I am 100 per cent in support of the investigation,” he stressed on TV3’s Midday Live on Thursday. This comes in the wake of the engagement of Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) by the Trust to audit its operations in order to make it a competitive body in the sub-region.

Already, there are reports that in excess of $66 million was expended by the previous executive body, a situation for which some are calling for a graft probe. Speaking on Midday Live, Prof Alabi said since SSNIT is a public body, the disbursement of its funds must be publicly accounted for.

The new board says SSNIT isn’t taking its responsibilities seriously Therefore, he will not resist any move to do so. “What I am not in support of is already to criminalize leaders before investigation comes out.”

He said he is already in the know about the decision to probe his tenure.

The current board chairman, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, believes audit firm PwC’s work will let the Trust “take its responsibility seriously”. A manager of PwC has already assured that the audit will not be to witch-hunt any official.