SOCIAL SECURITY AND NATIONAL INSURANCE TRUST
SEMINAR FOR THE DIPLOMATIC CORP ON SSNIT

Published on 03 March, 2015.

A seminar on the obligations of employers and specific challenges of foreign missions in Ghana has been organised by the Trust through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration for the Diplomatic Corp in Ghana.

The seminar held at the main Conference room of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration was to solicit the support of the Missions and also assure them of the Trust’s willingness to collaborate.

 

The Operations’ Co-ordinator of SSNIT, Mr Henry Van Hein Sackey, who represented the Director-General, Mr Ernest Thompson, informed the diplomats that every Diplomatic Mission, though operating under diplomatic immunity, had an obligation by Law to ensure that all workers in their employment were registered and contributions paid on their behalf. He reminded them that the Trust had a mandate to provide income security and protection for all workers in Ghana in the event of Old Age, Invalidity and Death.

Operations’ Co-ordinator, Mr Henry Van-Hein Scakey, delivers the DG’s speech

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Mr Sackey acknowledged the co-operation the Trust received from some Missions when issues on Social Security matters came up but also bemoaned the fact that some Missions refused to co-operate and this had brought about challenges in ensuring compliance with the National Pensions’ Act, Act 766. He revealed that the Trust had received a lot of complaints from some Ghanaian workers who had retired from the services of some Missions without any form of benefit.

 

The Operations’ Co-ordinator reminded the Diplomats that failure to enrol their workers under their employment invariably denied these employees access to the National Health Insurance Scheme.

 

Mr Sackey expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration for facilitating the seminar and assured all of the Trust’s maximum collaboration and commitment in attaining the goal of providing income protection for Ghanaian workers, including those working within the Diplomatic Missions.

Some of the Diplomats take notes on one of the presentations

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The GM-General Counsel Division (GCD), Mr Peter Hayibor, took the diplomats through a presentation on the National Pensions’ Act, Act 766 and the amendments that had been done. He stressed that it was imperative that the Missions obliged with the National Pensions’ Act, Act 766 when it applied to workers under their employment.

 

 

GM-GCD, Mr Peter Hayibor, explains the new Ammendments to Act 766

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The Prosecutions’ Manager, Mr Emmanuel Narh Baddoo, also made a presentation on the employers’ obligation under the Pensions’ Act, Act 766 and the specific challenges of the Foreign Missions.

Manager in Charge of the Diplomatic and Foreign Missions’ Desk at SSNIT, Mr Samuel Nkansah Adresses the Diplomats

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There was a lively exchange of ideas when it came to the Open Forum time with the Diplomatic Missions’ representative asking a wide range of questions.