He alleged that the representatives might not have had the interest of workers at heart hence the many infractions that are emerging in relation to the $72 million non-functional digitization project as well as SSNIT’s depreciated shares in the UMB bank.

[contextly_sidebar id=”JQQk1QgWVfMg8ejULK3CYqbRe2Nse8xz”]Mr Awuni had earlier challenged the acquisition of Merchant Bank (now UMB) by Fortiz  in court, but he lost.

In a new twist of events, however, it has emerged that the Trust which hitherto had over 80% shares in UMB, now controls only 4.43% due what appears to be a lack of understanding of the transaction they entered into with Fortiz.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, Mr. Awuni who was also the Spokesperson of former President John Kufuor said every advice he gave, as far as the takeover of Merchant bank was concerned, fell on deaf ears.

“I have no desire to paint anybody or an institution bad…why would you think I will go to the court and be jostling around the court everyday…What even pains me is that the workers representatives sitting on the board did not even bother. Nobody even picked up a phone to call and ask what is it that you are looking for? We are on this board and we are your representatives [so] why is it that you haven’t come to speak to us? Tell us what exactly have you found out that we don’t know sitting on this board. Even when I make a phone call to them they don’t pick up. It was deliberate.”

When asked by host of the Citi Breakfast Show, Bernard Avle on whether the board should be held responsible for SSNIT’ss woes , Mr. Awuni said :  “the board of every organization is ultimately responsible for what happens in that organization…if a company is going to exceed its mandate the board takes control.”

Organised Labour representatives on 2009-2013 SSNIT board 

Organised Labour had four slots in the 2009-2013 board of SSNIT chaired by Professor Joshua Alabi.

They included: Mr. Kofi Asamoah, Mr. Abraham Tetteh Dian Okine, Mr. Kwame Amo-Dako and Mr. Robertson Nii Akwei Allotey.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Andrew Awuni slams Organised Labour reps on SSNIT board appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

[contextly_sidebar id=”L1tBrCfMJvI5CoUdX5BMghWl0ErmkqCr”]The Deputy Secretary General of the Congress, Joshua Ansah, charged government to provide needed support and logistics required to make them efficient.

“…Management should not wait for us to even come and ask if we are really the engine of growth as workers. We should be treated fairly.,

Various labour unions have over the years embarked on a series of demonstration to register their displeasure over poor conditions of service,” Mr. Ansah said.

In 2014, eight labour unions served notice they would embark on an indefinite strike to protest government’s failure to pay public service workers their tier two pension funds into a private account.

The unions have also decided to lay down their tools.

The eight unions were made up of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Public and Health Service Workers Union and the Ghana Registered Nurses Association.

The rest were the Government Hospital Pharmacists Association, Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and the Civil and Local Government Staff Association (CLOGSAG).

They accused government of unduly delaying the payment of their tier two pension funds being held by the National Pensions Regulatory Authority in the last three years.

In that same year [2014], Organised Labour made similar calls for the payment of their outstanding pension funds.

They threatened to embark on an indefinite strike if government failed to take measures to address their grievances.

“We wish to state that if by July 14, directives have not been issued for the transfer of funds to various public sector schemes, we will advise ourselves,” said Mr Awotwi Nkansah, Deputy Executive Secretary of GNAT in charge of Labour .

Times are tough, we’ve no money – Nana Addo

In the wake of protests and threats of strikes from a number of labour unions a few months ago, President Nana Addo told many agitating worker unions in the country that government is cash-strapped.

“There are some things that should be easy to deal with but will prove difficult for some time to come largely because there is no money. But now arrangements are being put place that will enhance the generation by the state.”

“The economic situation my government and I inherited was not the best; both in terms of the growth of our economy and the balances available in the public treasury. Many of the problems you are putting here are the results of a poor office treasury,” the President explained.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post We’ll resist gov’t’s attempts to deny workers’ benefits – TUC appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.