SSNIT might not honour pension shortfall promptly

Ho, Oct. 31, GNA - Mr Mawunyo Demanya, Volta Regional Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), on Thursday expressed fears that the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) might not be able to meet future shortfalls in pension benefits due to workers, should the Government use 2.5 per cent of contributions to establish the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He said the fear stemmed from the Government's inability to promptly meet its financial obligations towards the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETfund) and the District Assemblies' Common Fund (DACF), both of which were in arrears.

"Government has also shown its lack of capacity to regularly pay absorbed fees to the Senior Secondary Schools in the country," he said. Mr Demanya was speaking at the Volta Regional World Teachers' Day in Ho, under the theme: "Teachers-Opening Doors to a Better World". "We therefore, slam the 2.5 per cent deduction from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) pension scheme, even though, we fully support, the National Health Insurance Scheme", he said.

He reiterated that GNAT was not against the establishment of the NHIS, which it had since 1994 and 1997, through resolutions at its National Delegates' Conferences asked Government to establish.

Mr Demanya entreated Government to expedite action on a memorandum the GNAT addressed to it for an enhanced SSNIT pension or restore CAP 30 pension as the quantum of the pension benefit calculated on the current 17.5 per cent and lodged with the SSNIT was woefully inadequate. He said teachers would fulfil their assigned responsibilities if they were motivated and work in a good environment.