SSNIT to sustain prosecution of defaulters

The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) says it will not relent in its pursuit of all monies owed the Trust, and will prosecute defaulting employers.

As at February 2013, outstanding payments to the Trust stood at GH¢426million -- of which private establishments owed GH¢88million, and the Controller and Accountant-General owed GH¢302million.

“The employers are always defaulting, so we are taking them to court and prosecuting them. After their prosecution, they will probably pay a judgement debt, and they will also arrange to pay the arrears while paying the current [amount owed],” Corporate Affairs Manager for SSNIT Eva Amegashie told the B&FT in an interview.

“The exercise is ongoing; it is not a one-off thing. We have area prosecutors, and that is their job,” she said.

The Trust last February was able to retrieve an amount of GH¢960,410 from defaulting employers and has initiated court action against 17 defaulting companies in the Central and Western Regions.

The Trust has also secured bench warrants for the arrest of directors and owners of the 17 companies, for defaulting in the deduction and payment of their employees’ social security contributions.

The entities, according to the Trust, were indebted to the tune of GH¢39million as at the end of December 2012.

The defaulting companies in the Western and Central Regions include Filand Plant Hire Limited in Tarkwa; Allied Oil Filling Station at Enchi; and Esther Preparatory School at Huni.