Health workers protest against PAT to manage pension affairs

The Health Services Workers Union (HSWU) has stated its protest over the inclusion of Pensions Alliance Trust as a Corporate Trustee in the management of their pension affairs.

HSWU said it would not allow government to impose on it any clandestine Scheme which has the potential to reduce their retirement benefits and could end up being a replica of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust.

This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Abu D. Kuntulo, General Secretary and copied to the Ghana News Agency.

The statement said: “Social protection, the strongest pillar of decent work, should not be toyed with or left in the hands of third parties when we as workers are capable of investing into our future, after all, the money is ours”.

It called on all HSWU members and other health Professional Associations involved in the establishment of Health Sector Occupational Master Trust Pension Scheme, to remain calm and resolute while the leadership engages with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and other Stakeholders to get the issue resolved.

The statement said on January 17, the Union received a letter informing it about the confirmation of the appointment of Pensions Alliance Trust Limited as a Corporate Trustee for the second Tier Pension Scheme of employees of GHS.

It said GHS was aware that the Union and other Health Professional Associations in the Health Sector had come together to establish the Health Sector Occupational Master Trust Pension Scheme.

The statement said the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) had duly registered this Scheme, which covers both the public and private sector employees in the health service.

It said in 2011 the Union wrote to both the Minister of Health and the Director General of the GHS notifying them of the establishment of the Scheme and suggested that they should try to engage the Health Sector Unions and other Stakeholders, but unfortunately no response was received from them.

The statement said the Union and other health sector Associations involved in the establishment of the Health Sector Occupational Master Trust Pension Scheme were guided by the National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766) and guidelines issued by the NPRA.

The statement said: “We will resist with all our might any attempt by government or any other body to push any Scheme down our throats.

Source: GNA