Tema, March 9, GNA - Eight establishments in Tema, including two educational institution, which owed the Tema branch of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) several millions of Ghana Cedis, in th= e form of employees' contributions, have been dragged to court. The establishments failed to pay their employees' contributions to SSNIT between November 2008 and February 2011, had since the court action, settled their indebtedness to the Trust.

They include Bespoke Furniture Limited, Innona Holdings Limited, and Narh Global Services Limited. The rest are Super Paper Products Company Limited, Trado Logistics, Freddymens Ventures, Missmister Nursery and Quinstel International Schools. Bespoke Furniture owed SSNIT a total amount of GHC9,763.36, while Innona Holdings' indebtedness to the Trust totalled GHC16,285.94. Narh Global Services owed SSNIT GHC67,118.20; while Super Paper Products' accumulated contributions plus penalty amounting to GHC422,611.= 44.

The arrears of Trado Logistics, as at September 2010, totalled GHC33,170.89, while that of Freddymens Ventures stood at GHC10,347.28. The two educational institutions, Missmister Nursery and Quinstel International, owed SSNIT a total amount of GHC2,293.92. Four other establishments, including one primary school, which also failed to submit contribution reports of their employees,' were also liab= le for prosecution.

The companies, Life Shipping Limited, Mofrankson Company Limited, JD Preservations Limited, and Brotherhood Primary School, had since the prosecution summons, submitted those reports. The National Pensions Act, 2008, Act 766 mandates SSNIT to prosecute organisations and individuals for failing to either pay contributions or submit reports on those contributions. While Sections 63 (1), 64(1) (a) and 83 (1) (d) (f) and (h) dealt with failure to pay contributions and penalty, Sections 63 (6) (7) and 83 (1) (d= ) (f) and (h) touched on failure or refusal to submit reports.