SSNIT organizes seminar for Employers

Accra, Aug. 18, GNA - The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) on Tuesday said it will exercise its mandate to institute civil or criminal action against employers that would failed to register their workers after an education campaign for that purpose.

This is because under PNDC Law 247, SSNIT has such right to ensure that all manner of workers, including casual and contract staff in the country benefited from the social security scheme.

Mrs Sheila Sampson, Adabraka District Manager of SSNIT, who said this at a day's seminar for 150 organisations and companies in Accra, therefore, urged all employers in the private and public sectors to register all their workers with the scheme and start paying contribution on their behalf.

She said, "the issue here is that in so far as there is an employer/employee relationship and these workers earn income they must be registered and be made to contribute to the scheme".

The seminar on the theme: "Towards Improved Service Delivery - the Role of the Employer" is part of SSNIT's educational campaign slated for employers countrywide.

Speaking on: "Towards Improved Service Delivery - Problems with Compliance," Mrs Sampson mentioned current problems being faced by the Trust's service delivery as non-registration of workers, delays in the endorsement of worker registration forms, non-distribution of membership certificates, non-declaration of workforce and non-payment of contributions.

She said, though payment of contribution for any particular month is to be made by the 14th of the ensuing month, employers fail to do so. She said the average compliance rate for the first half of 2003 under the Adabraka District was 78 per cent and 81 per cent for both employers and employees, respectively.

She said the figures reflect the general national figures were not encouraging as non-payment by employers denied the Trust of funds and put the scheme at risk.

Mr Ohene Kwaku Abbu-Bonsra, Area Manager of Accra West SSNIT, who spoke on: "The Employers Obligations Under the PNDCL 247" explained that the law supports the Trust in the collection of contributions from employers, updating of payment through periodic inspections, retrieval of contributions in arrears and public education.

He said the law also empowers the Trust to institute action against evasion of payment of contributions, making of false representation, failure to disclose material fact to the Trust and obstructing or assaulting an inspector.

Mr Kwaku Osei Bimpong, Head of Public Affairs, SSNIT described the seminar as part of the five-year strategic plan by SSNIT in an effort to improve upon service delivery for its customers.