The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has decided to halt the sale of a 60% stake in four of its hotels to a private hotel owned by Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong. This decision comes ahead of a total shutdown of public services effective Monday, July 15, 2024.
In a statement released late Friday night on July 12, SSNIT announced the termination of the deal. The announcement from SSNIT came hours after Rock City Hotel also declared its withdrawal from the transaction due to the backlash.
The brief statement, signed by SSNIT Board Chair Elizabeth Ohene, who had previously defended the deal, announced the termination of the deal.
SSNIT assured pensioners, contributors and the public of “its commitment to managing the affairs of the Trust prudently for the sustainability of the pension scheme.”
The decision to halt the sale has led to a potential reconsideration of a planned nationwide strike. The Trade Union Congress (TUC), during an emergency meeting on Friday, July 12, had called for a total shutdown of public services starting Monday, July 15, in protest of the transaction, which had been approved by the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA).
Various unions, including those in the health and education sectors, quickly supported the TUC’s directive. Despite Rock City Hotel’s withdrawal, unions such as the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) maintained that the strike would proceed unless SSNIT provided clear assurances regarding the future of the hotels.
By: Ekow Annan/newsalertgh.com
