Director-General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Dr. Joseph Kofi-Koranteng, has said it is a criminal offence for an employer to default on the payment of SSNIT contributions for their workers.
He was speaking at a stakeholder engagement with Muslim leaders drawn from various Muslim groups, communities and organizations at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel on Thursday, July 21, 2022.
He explained that SSNIT, as part of its new approach to making things work has introduced a quarterly release to all contributors, so they will know if their employers are paying their contributions.
He encouraged workers to serve as whistleblowers on employers who have refused to pay SSNIT contributions for their workers.
Such individuals he disclosed are protected by the law and would not have their cover blown.
The Director-General told the gathering that ”Social Security is serious business,” adding individuals can go to court and compel their employers who have defaulted in paying their contributions to do so.
He said that the same Act compels SSNIT to drag defaulting employers to the Saturday court, and the defaulters would be levied all the penalties they would have to pay on the contributions they never paid.
The meeting, held in Accra, sought stakeholder buy-in and support to extend the coverage of the SSNIT Scheme to the self-employed and workers in the informal sector.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of SSNIT, Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang, said it has become necessary to extend coverage to informal sector workers to increase the scheme’s active membership and contributor base of the scheme also to ensure that every worker in Ghana enjoys social protection.
Representing the National Chief Sheikh Nuhu Osman Sharubutu, his spokesperson Sheikh Atemeyaw Shaibu described the stakeholder engagement as laudable.
According to him, Social Security is about our future and the Muslim leaders must spread the message to their followers to help expand the scheme and prevent old age poverty.
He expressed the readiness of the office of the National Chief Imam to collaborate with SSNIT on this campaign.
” On behalf of the Chief Imam, I am assuring SSNIT that we are prepared to support them embark on this campaign. Whenever they want to the Muslim communities, we are prepared to support them,” he said.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
