Mr Reynolds O. Tenkorang, the General Secretary of the Health Services Workers’ Union (HSWU) has appealed to the Government to validate and pay retired members of the Gold Coast Fund Management as soon as possible.

He said many of their retired members deposited their meager retirement benefits into Gold Coast Fund Management, hoping to derive substantial returns to augment their low pension income.

“However, due to the financial clean-up exercise by the government, a lot of these Pensioners have their funds locked up and are suffering or deceased,” he said.

Speaking at a media briefing to mark this year’s Union’s week celebration, Mr Tenkorang said the hope of those living was restored when the Government promised to pay depositors who had their funds locked-up.

Mr Tenkorang said: “Nonetheless, the validation of customers from Gold Coast Fund Management, has been embroiled in some controversies….But we believe the Government would surely heed to our plea looking at the exceptional services rendered by these retired health workers,” adding, “When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers”.

On Internally Generated Fund (IGF)staff, Mr Tenkorang said the over-engagement of many health workers as IGF staff in several public health institutions across the country for decades now without mechanizing them, has been a major concern.

He, therefore, appealed to Government to consider mechanizing those IGF Staff.

The HSWU week celebrations, which hitherto is celebrated at all regional capitals with lectures and other Union activities could not be celebrated this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.