It’s not fair – SSNIT boss on calls for his dismissal
The Director General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Mr Kofi Osafo-Maafo, has expressed worry over the calls for his removal over the botched sale of a 60 per cent stake in four hotels.
Defending the decision to sell the shares, he described the calls as unfair.
He said the decision to sell the 60 per cent share was aimed at improving the underperforming hotels.
“If you have a duty to improve performance, you do not try to do something about it? Is that a real cardinal sin? In looking to improve the performance of underperforming assets, I don’t think that is wrong.
“You don’t manage a portfolio without doing anything; I think something has to be done,” Mr Osafo-Maafo said.
He added that although organised labour is against the move, he believes it is a normal thing to have such disagreements in finding ways to improve SSNIT.
“I don’t think that it is ever possible that everyone will have the same solution in mind. Some people philosophically oppose the simple fact that private investors have been brought in; you can never change their minds.
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“Again, when we look at the operational improvements that have been brought in, the efficiency of SSNIT operations has been much better. Because of that, the university teachers think it is the wrong procedure. I think that it is not fair enough,” he stated.
Mr Osafo-Maafo, however, expressed the management’s readiness to engage all stakeholders to find a way forward.
This comes after organised labour, the University Teachers Association (UTAG), and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) demanded the resignation of the SSNIT management and the dissolution of its board.
The labour unions announced displeasure at the sale of the 6 per cent stake in the hotels, leading to the declaration of a strike, which was intended to start on Monday, July 15.
Despite the deal’s cancellation, the workers still insisted on removing the management and board.
However, the unions have suspended the industrial action and given SSNIT a one-month ultimatum to address their concerns.