Retired employee of SSNIT takes his former employer to CHRAJ

Nkawkaw, May 26, GNA - A retired physically challenged employee of t he Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), has taken his forme r employers to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), for financial and medical discrimination against him during his 25 years service. Mr Obeng Opoku, in a petition to the CHRAJ office at Nkawkaw with copies to Ghana News Agency, said he was employed by SSNIT as a Data entr y and Students' Loan Officer in 1985. "In 2000 I applied for mortgage loan to construct a building, which I was entitled to but management refused to grant me the loan after three reminding letters in 2001, 2003 and 2005. Mr Opoku said he was surprisingly granted one quarter of the loan in

2006, which could not undertake the project, while his junior staffs were

granted those loans and even allowed to purchase some of the SSNIT flat buildings. He said in 2005 a medical officer at the St Joseph Hospital in Koforidua advised him to undergo surgery to correct some deformities in h is body to enhance his movement. "But when an estimated bill was sent to management of SSNIT they did

not have the sympathy to treat me equally like other able staff and refus ed to release funds for my medical treatment, which I was entitled to," he said. Mr Opoku, therefore, appealed to CHRAJ to invite SSNIT management to

explain the discriminatory treatment meted out to him. When the GNA contacted the Kwahu West Municipal Director of CHRAJ, M r Kwabena Osei, confirmed Mr Opoku's petition and said copies had been sent to management of SSNIT in Accra, who have also replied to it. The reply signed by Mr Edward Oppong, for the Legal Services Manager , explained that SSNIT operates an in house mortgage scheme for its members of staff under an approved guideline procedures. The reply said due to lack of adequate funds to cover all staff for the mortgage loan facility, SSNIT management was not able to satisfy all staf f, who were eligible and therefore put in a formula to disburse the limited funds to staff members.

The reply noted that in 2006 the mortgage loan committee considered members of staff, who were employed between 1976 and 1984, which Mr Opoku

could not have qualified that year since he was employed in 1985. The reply said management of SSNIT introduced an additional mortgage

loan policy known as special mortgage loan in 2006 to enable staffs, who were 66 years and above to benefit, which Mr Opoku was considered under t hat policy.