The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has called on the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) to take immediate legal action against government to recover more than 50 billion cedis owed to the SSNIT pension scheme.
The Association has warned that failure to act promptly could trigger widespread agitation among workers as early as next week.
GNAT General Secretary, Thomas Tanko Musah, made the call in an exclusive interview with 3news in Accra on April 10.
Mr. Musah was reacting to the NPRA’s recent move to prosecute eleven employers who defaulted on payments to the second-tier pension scheme.
The Authority says more than one hundred defaulting employers were successfully prosecuted in 2025 as part of efforts to enforce compliance within the pensions sector.
Despite these actions, labour leaders have raised concerns over what they describe as the NPRA’s slow pace in addressing government’s outstanding debt to the SSNIT pension scheme.
Responding to the concerns, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the NPRA, Victor Azumah, indicated that the Authority is engaging government to resolve the issue.
“We are engaging with the stakeholders. You know it is a legacy debt, and after the engagement we will address it,” he said.
However, Mr. Musah has strongly criticised that approach, arguing that engagement alone is insufficient.
“The NPRA has arrested eleven employers—they have done well—but why haven’t they been able to recover over 50 billion cedis from government?” he questioned.
He further suggested that the Authority should not hesitate to pursue legal action against the state.
“In 2013, a presidential candidate, Aggudey, was jailed. Why can’t the NPRA drag government to court to pay the amount?” he asked.
The GNAT General Secretary warned that continued inaction could provoke a backlash from workers, accusing the Authority of selective enforcement.
“I am not happy at all. From next week, people will come after them because they are not being fair. They are biased and implementing the laws to suit their whims and caprice,” he said.
Mr. Musah insists the NPRA must act decisively to recover the funds and restore confidence in the management of pension contributions.
By Daniel Opoku
