FORUM FOR PUBLIC SECTOR REGISTERED PENSION SCHEMES P. O. BOX M.336 Ministries, Accra Our Ref: OL\1\9 YourRef:.................................................... ........................................................................... ............. 21ST OCT. 2014 PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE FORUM IN DEMAND FOR THE OPERATIONALIZATION OF THE FOUR REGISTERED PENSION SCHEMES IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE Members of the Press, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen We, the Forum for Public Sector Registered Pension Schemes (herein, after called the forum) namely: Health Sector Occupational Pension Scheme set up by the Health Services Workers Union (HSWU), Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA), Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Ghana Physician Assistants Association, (GPAA), and Government and Hospitals Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA); Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anesthetists (GRCRA). Ghana Education Service (GES) Occupational Pension Scheme set up by Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers(CCT); Judicial Service Occupational Pension Scheme set up by Judicial Services Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG); Hedge Master Trust Occupational Pensions Scheme set up by Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG); addressed you at our initial press conference on 30th June, 2014 on two key issues: our rejection of the imposition of Pension Alliance Trust our call on Government to allow the full operationalization of the Public Sector Pension Scheme In retrospect, let us recall the actions of our Unions and Associations in the implementation of the second (2nd) Tier Occupational Pension Scheme within Public Services. In 2012 at a meeting at the Castle Gardens, Osu, with His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama, Organised Labour informed him that the then Minister of Finance had issued a letter imposing a Trust - The Pension Alliance Trust - on workers in the Public Services. Organised Labour was not enthused about that action by the Finance Minister, in that, the decision was unilateral and contrary to the National Pensions Act 2008, (Act 766). Organised Labour focused its attention on Pension during the National May Day Parade held at Sekondi in 2013. Thus, the theme for the parade was Pension it is our right and our responsibility. This clearly indicated that the unions were going to actively participate in and take responsibility for the management of pension schemes on behalf of their members, since the 2nd and 3rd Tiers of the New Pension thrive on competition to ultimately, give better Lump Sum or pension earnings to beneficiaries. This year, 2014, during the May Day celebrations in Accra, His Excellency the President was humbly intimated by Organised Labour on the rights of unions to actively participate in the management of the 2nd Tier Pension Scheme and that issues affecting it should be resolved amicably and expeditiously in order not to create an avoidable tension. In our quest to seek an amicable settlement, we appealed to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Employment, Social Welfare and State Enterprises. This was closely followed by a letter to the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations for an intervention to avoid an escalation of the tension that was building up. We wish the press to also note that during the period there have been countless meetings and interactions with the body mandated to oversee Pensions in Ghana, that is, the National Pensions Regulatory Authority. Besides, there have been numerous official and unofficial meetings with the Ministers of Employment and Labour Relations in a bid to get our schemes to run but to no avail. We, members of this Forum for Public Sector Registered Pension Schemes did not rest on our oars but continued, and sought audience with His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana in July, 2014 to find a lasting solution to this precarious situation which has all the potential, not only to disturb the peace of the country, but also stall the effort being made by the Unions to protect the economic interest of their members. His Excellency President John Mahama after listening to his advisers, including the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (IMPRA), the Minister of Finance, the then Minister of Employment and Labour Relations on one side and the Unions and Associations with Registered Schemes in the Public Services on the other, set up a Committee comprising Representatives of the Forum, the NPRA and the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations and tasked it to submit to him recommendations on the way forward within three (3) days. Since then the Committees recommendations have been submitted to the Presidency. In order to calm the nerves of our members, we, the Forum issued a Press Statement on 10th September, 2014 on the challenges faced by the schemes and entreated our members to give us more time to engage Government further on the issue. It is important to note that the first group of beneficiaries under the National Pension Act 2008, (Act 766) would be retiring in January 2015. They are in the dark as to where to claim the 2nd Tier Benefits. The Forum, having gone through such a process and waited for this long period, have decided to use the only other means available to us to seek a redress of our grievances. We have therefore, collectively decided to embark on an indefinite strike action with effect from Wednesday 22nd October, 2014 to press home our demand of getting the Government to release the funds accruing to our schemes and subsequent releases, to make the public sector schemes operational without delay. All our members should stay away from work until further directives are issued by the FORUM. Long Live Workers Solidarity, ALUTA CONTINUA ISSUED THIS DAY, TUESDAY, 21ST OCTOBER, 2014. ISAAC BAMPOE ADDO EXECUTIVE SECRETARY (CLOGSAG) M.V.V.DEMANYA AG. GENERAL SECRETARY (GNAT) REYNOLDS O. TENKORANG AG. GENERAL SECRETARY 1SWU) KWAKU ASANTE-KROBEA PRESIDENT (GNR/l) CHRISTIAN ADDAI POKU PRESIDENT (NAGRAJ) STEPHEN CORQUAYE CHAIRMAN (GHOSPA) DR. JUSTICE YANKSON ASST. GEN. SECRETARY FOR PRESIDENT: (GMA) PETER K. LUMOR NATIONAL CHAIRMAN (TEWU) ERNEST OPOKU PRESIDENT COALITION OF CONCERNED TEACHERS (CCT)
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 17:54:32 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015