The Executive Secretary of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) and Chairman of The Forum, Isaac Bampoe Addo, has said that the leadership of Organised Labour have impressed on the Board of the Social Security and National Trust (SSNIT) to stop any moves to sell 60% shares in 4 hotels.
He said they have asked the Board to end the deal struck with Rock City Hotel owned by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.
Mr Bampoe Addo said this in an interview with 3news’ Daniel Opoku after a crunch meeting with the Board of SSNIT chaired by veteran journalist, Madam Elizabeth Ohene on May 30, 2024.
“We were not convinced. There are so many negatives in the transaction that we have pointed out to them. How can you go through a tender process and give specifications and along the line you change the specifications? Our Procurement Act does not allow this. We have told them to cancel the deal,” he said.
He emphasised on the need for workers to take over the management of SSNIT pension funds.
“We will take control, this is our money. We will take control, SSNIT does not need to go ahead with the deal, …they dare not go ahead with the deal, and we have asked for a total restructuring of SSNIT.”
“Why should government be appointing Chairperson of the SSNIT Board? It is not government money. It is workers money, so we are not going to allow that,” Mr Bampoe Addo stressed.
It would be recalled that the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced that he has petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) over the sale of SSNIT shares in 6 of its hotels.
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The hotels are; Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort, Ridge Royal Hotel, Busua Beach Resort, and the Trust Lodge Hotel.
Later, the Management of SSNIT explained that the hotels are 4, not 6. They justified the decision to sell the shares and indicated that due process was followed.
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However, members of Organised Labour expressed outrage over the deal and called for a meeting with President Akufo-Addo.
The President subsequently tasked the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatious Bafour Awuah to engage the workers.
Sale of SSNIT hotels: Akufo-Addo directs Employment Minister to meet organised labour
Before that meeting could be held, the Board of SSNIT called representatives of labour for a meeting.
The Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr Anthony Yaw Baah informed journalists that the Board Chairperson told them that the shares have not been sold.
We have not sold 60% shares of SSNIT hotels to Agric Minister – SSNIT’s Board Chairperson
Madam Elizabeth Ohene is reported to have said that “SSNIT it has not sold 60 percent shares to the Minister of Agric.”
Dr Yaw Baah said the Board Chairperson tried to convince them about the sale agreement. But the representatives of labour rejected the decision, explaining that the hotels cannot be sold to the Minister of Agric.
Dr Baah said Organised Labour informed the Board Chairperson to convene a stakeholder meeting to discuss other matters affecting SSNIT.
Dr Baah said the stakeholder meeting will address other issues.
“We have advised that they should cancel any meeting and convene a stakeholders’ forum. There are number of issues that have come up about SSNIT and let’s take them one after the other.
“More importantly, we want to work together as stakeholders – Organised Labour, employers, SSNIT Board and government to ensure that their investments in SSNIT is sustainable so that whosever will retire will have no doubt in their minds,” he stated.
Dr Baah reiterated their decision to meet with President Akufo-Addo to discuss matters relating to SSNIT.
“If you recall that on May Day, we requested a meeting with the President, to give that space for us to discuss SSNIT issues, but we have received a letter from the Minister of Employment so we will meet him,” Dr Baah said.
