Accra, July 27, GNA - Mr William Asiedu, Director-General of Ghana Prisons Service, on Thursday noted that in as much as the State owed it a duty to provide welfare packages for security service personnel, they should also take initiatives to complement the efforts of the State. He was speaking at the opening of a two-day delegates' congress of the Prisons Officers Welfare Association (POWA) in Accra. The congress is meant to take stock of POWA's activities over the past four years, assess its accounts and audited reports, as well as launch the Services' Provident Fund to replace the existing welfare system that was set up in the 1980s.

Mr Asiedu said it was time the Service revamped its welfare status as the needs of personnel over the years had not been systematically and adequately tackled.

The situation, he said, had been highly unsatisfactory, with retired officers living "wretched and desperate lives", saying a solution to the problem was within reach.

He said while the Government had acted timely to draw up a progressive pension scheme for State officials, common experience had led the administration of the Service to consider adopting a fund to address the core welfare needs of personnel.

Mr Asiedu said as part of measures to revamp the welfare system, the Directorate in 2004 set up a committee to determine the modalities for the operation of an endowment fund, which the entire 45 stations of the Service accepted after studying the committee's report. He formally presented the proposal to the congress to seek its approval for transition to the proposed provident fund. Mr Asiedu said the Gemini Life Insurance Company (GLICO) had been chosen to run the new scheme, which would offer officers greatly improved benefits.

He said the provident fund was better than the old welfare package, which only offered loans and some token amounts in the event of bereavement, birth and emergencies.

The Director-General said the Service together with GLICO had already embarked on nation-wide education tour to sensitise officers on the details of the new fund.

The new fund features protection benefits for officers, spouses, children and parents, accident benefits, loans, hire purchase and retirement benefits in the form of investment plus accumulated interest.

He urged the delegates to focus on the investment aspect of the fund, which would enhance their pension and advised that they increased their contributions to reap more benefits. 27 July 06