General News of Wednesday, 5 November 2014

Source: Rainbow Radio

Gov't will not disappoint workers - Dep. Minister

Deputy Minister of Communications, Hon. Felix Ofosu Kwakye says if government allows private institutions to manage the workers' pension fund, government will still be blamed if something should happen to it.

He says out of the 18.5% which is the total percentage of the pension scheme, government pays the largest of 13%, so how the workers get access to their monies is government's priority.

Adding that, the remaining 5.5% belongs to the workers, but it does not mean government should mismanage it.

Speaking on Adom FM, Felix Ofosu Kwakye said workers have representatives both at Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA), so it is impossible for government to use these monies for different purposes without anybody’s knowledge.

‘Government has done the forensic audit and is still waiting for reports which will be presented to these workers,' he said.

Citing on a comment the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, made about government not being able to handle this second tier issue, Felix Ofosu Kwakye said he is not surprised he (Nana Addo) is speaking against the government.

He added that after Nana Addo has made a statement like this, he expected him to suggest possible solutions and not just make these generalised statements.