SSNIT gets though on Directors for establishments who have defaulted in payment of workers' contribution

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga The Bolgatanga Branch Manager of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Mr. Charles Antwi-Bosiako has asked owners of establishments to ensure regular and prompt payment of their employee’s contributions to the Trust. This he said was necessary to provide the employees with secured income on retirement. Mr. Antwi-Bosiako gave the advice in an interview with the Daily Graphic at Bolgatanga after the Trust succeeded in retrieving an amount of GH c 4, 599.68 out of a total of GH c 7,594.35 owed it by owners of eight establishments operating in Bolgatanga Municipality in the Upper East Region for defaulting in the payments of their workers' contribution to the Trust through a court action. Following the indebtedness of the establishments to SSNIT, the Trust took legal action in court against the eight establishments which led to the retrieval of the amount. However, two establishments operating in Municipality have defaulted in the payments of their workers' contribution to the Trust but failed to appear in court on Monday, September 3, 2012 had a bench warrant issued for the arrest of the directors. The two establishments are Polestar Hospitality Services and Aneden Enterprise who are alleged to have failed to pay contributions of their staff and failing to appear in court. The total indebtedness of these two defaulting establishments amounted to GH ¢1, 480.26 and they are legally responsible to pay an additional GH C 334.78 as penalty for their inaction. Mr. Antwi-Bosiako explained that SSNIT does not take delight in in prosecuting organizations that had defaulted in the payment of their workers contributions in court but would do so if such organization refused to act promptly to its demand notice letters served them. He said the interest of clients of the Trust was fundamental and supreme to its existence and appealed to organizations, departments and agencies operating under the SSNIT pension to abide by the rules and regulations of the Pensions Act,2008 (Act 766) He explained that under the current National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766), employers were obliged to pay their workers contributions to the Trust by 14th of the ensuing month to help avert the payment of penalties. Mr. Foster Adjei, a prosecutor of the Trust warned that SSNIT would not relent in its efforts to compel organizations, departments and agencies through legal actions to retrieve all unpaid workers contributions to the fund. Mr. Adjei said the Trust the Trust has put in place favorable condition of payment for defaulters to negotiate settlement of their arrears and urged all employers to take advantage of the package in order not to push the Trust to the wall to take legal action against them. -End-