TUC calls for balanced representation of SSNIT board of trustees

Kumasi, Nov 17, GNA - The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has called for a balanced representation of stakeholders on the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) Board of Trustees to ensure fairness in transactions of the board.

Mr Akwasi Adu-Amankwah, Secretary-General of the TUC, who made the call, observed that the current arrangement gives undue advantage to the government in view of its large representation, thereby making it undermine efforts of other stakeholders to make any meaningful input to decisions. Mr Adu-Amankwah made the call when he spoke on, "The stance of the TUC on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)" at the Ashanti Regional Council of Labour meeting in Kumasi on Monday.

The two-day meeting is to, among others, take stock of activities of the regional and district councils of labour and also discuss, in details, the impact of the NHIS and the SSNIT law.

"The government has eight representatives on the board and also appoints the Director-General of the SSNIT, while the remaining six representatives on the board are shared among the remaining stakeholders, which is not fair enough", he added.

Among other stakeholders having representation on the SSNIT board are the TUC, Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Civil Servants Association (CSA) and the Employers Association.

The TUC boss was emphatic that the government, in most instances capitalises on its large representation on the board to influence, interfere and control decisions in its favour.

Mr Adu-Amankwah also expressed doubts about the government's claim that the two-and-half percent workers contribution it was sourcing from the SSNIT fund as seed money for the NHIS was a loan.

"This cannot be a loan because if it were actually a loan, the government would have negotiated directly with the Board of Trustees rather than resorting to the passage of a law for securing such a facility", he added.

He said, while the government is bent on implementing the NHIS, the TUC is also contemplating establishing a mutual health insurance scheme for its members, stressing, "we are not against the scheme but the mode of funding."

Mrs Georgina Opoku, Ashanti Regional Chairperson of the TUC, advised unionists to always discuss national issues devoid of any political sentiments.