A stalwart of Alan Kyerematen’s Movement for Change, Nana Ohene Ntow, has said that if the Board and management of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has any sense of moral responsibility, they should resign from their positions.
He says they cannot occupy such high profile positions and still keep them after “shifting and turning as the issues turn.”
Speaking on NewDay on TV3 Tuesday, July 16, 2024, Ohene Ntow questioned the basis in terms of principle upon which the Ghanaian society thrives.
According to him, it was time one principled person occupying a higher office in the country charts a course to set the grounds to trigger some change.
His comments come on the back of calls for the resignation of the Board and Management of SSNIT, following its approval of the sale of the Trust’s 60 per cent shares in some four hotels.
When host, Berla Mundi asked his take on the calls for their resignation, he said “if they have any sense of dignity, if they have any respect for public opinion and public sentiments, if they have any moral responsibility which they want to express to Ghanaians, then they should resign because you can’t be in a public position, a very high office shifting and turning as the issues turn and still keep your position.”
“So, on what basis in terms of principle are we running our society? In Ghana, it doesn’t matter what anybody in public office does, nobody resigns,” he added.
The former General Secretary for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) further cited the words of a Kenyan minister who resigned to question the principles upon which the Ghanaian society runs.
“A Kenyan Minister has resigned and his case is that ‘I’m sorry. We have not treated our people fairy. We have dealt with our people as if we don’t belong to corporate Kenya. They are not shareholders so that we who have come into government behaved as if we are the owners and we have brought untold hardships on our people.
“When I saw this video, and I asked myself when would one principled person who is in a very juicy public office pursue the issue of principle and ethics and send a signal that can trigger some change?” he quizzed.
Background
Rock City Hotel, owned by Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong was revealed few weeks ago has the sole investor which satisfied the bidding process to purchase 60% of shares in SSNIT’s four hotels.
The news about the sale of the 60% shares of the four hotels was met with resentment from all corners of the general public.
SSNIT in its defence said the process to sell 60% of its shares in the hotels begun in 2018 and was in its final stage and that Rock City Hotel had met all requirement to purchase the 60% shares.
It said the four hotels which were put up for sale were running consistent losses and SSNIT has no funding to revive the hotels, hence, the need to put it up for sale.
When the matter came to light, North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa vehemently opposed the bid saying state officials cannot “loot and share” state assets.
He further organised a demonstration to protest against the sale of SSNIT Hotels. Various labour unions also spoke against the move which further prompted the NPRA to direct SSNIT on June 28 to suspend its negotiations with Rock City over the sale of four hotels, pending further evaluation and engagement.
However, answering questions on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, July 11, Employment and Labour Relations Minister, Ignatius Baffour Awuah confirmed that NPRA has given the go ahead for the hotels to be sold after the Authority was satisfied that SSNIT has complied with all due processes.
He said the directive from the NPRA was only to ensure that SSNIT had complied with all the processes and documentation and not to completely prevent SSNIT from selling the hotels.
“Yes, it is true that NPRA came up with a directive, but I would appreciate it if my brother, my colleague, really read the directive from NPRA. It said it needed to be furnished with all information relating to the sale of the hotels, which SSNIT has since done that.
“So, it wasn’t like a direct something that SSNIT should not go ahead to do anything, but then, SSNIT can only go ahead when NPRA, which is the regulator within the field, had actually certified that they have seen all the documentation and the processes, and they think that we are good to go.
“Yes, so, as a minister, I can tell you tell you on authority that NPRA has since indicated that they have seen the processes, and they think that SSNIT can go ahead.”
This revelation prompted several labour unions to take action by declaring a nationwide strike following which SSNIT has terminated the controversial sale of 60% of its shares in the four hotels.
