Accra, Nov. 1, GNA - The Association of Former Ghanaian Workers in Italy (AFGWI) on Monday demanded 100 per cent refund of social security contributions to those of them who legally resided in the European country and contributed to their social security fund.

"The Italian Pension Authority only paid between 20 per cent and 32 per cent compensation out of the 100 per cent it promised," it said. Mr Clement Kunge, National Organiser, AFGWI, made the statement at a press conference in Accra to brief journalists on latest development on the issue.

Mr Kunge said the mass exodus of Ghanaian immigrants from Italy was the result of the promulgation of a law in 1995 that gave legal backing to the then government's decision to scale down the number of non-European Union workers.

He said the Act clearly stated that those who had voluntarily left after the expiration of the process in 2002 would enjoy automatic five per cent interest on their contributions as compensation, but the Italian pension authority ignored this.

"As a result of the inability of the Italian authority to pay us what it owes us, we have become penniless and poverty has permeated our lives leading to destitution and untimely death of some of our members," he added.

He said they came back with high technical skills that were crucial for the transformation of Ghana's ailing economy since they had worked in all sectors of the Italian economy including automobile, metallurgy, electronic, tannery, enamel, engineering, ITC, and agriculture.

Mrs Josephine Rubby Turkson, Executive member of the Association, expressed their appreciation to Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, the Foreign Minister, for listening to their plight and taking steps to ensure that the Italian government redeemed its pledge as contained in the law. Mrs Turkson said through the Minister's intervention, the Association had received favourable feedback from the pension authority in Italy.

She said it was their hope that the struggle pursued by the Minister would receive prompt attention as the Italian government had been cooperating with him.

Ms Turkson said these developments would go a long way to strengthen the socio-economic relations between the two nations.