The Cape Coast branch of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has announced the resumption of operations following its temporal shutdown on Monday.
The services of the institution in the Central Region were interrupted together with that of the Electricity Company of Ghana for nonpayment of taxes owed to the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly (CCMA).
The debts of the two institutions included property rates and business operating permits which summed up to GH¢140,000.00.
Whereas ECG’s record of default dates back to 2021, SSNIT’s dates back to 2022, according to the CCMA.
Consequently, the offices of the institutions were locked up by the assembly-led task force.
Briefing the media after the exercise, Mr Jonathan Yeboah, the Metro Finance Officer who led the team, said they took the move after all efforts to encourage the two institutions to pay proved futile.
“We are not happy with our action today, but we are left with no option after several communications to remind them of the need to pay for work were unsuccessful.
“If they had come to the Assembly as we requested and properly engaged us, this would not have happened because we do not take delight in such things,” Mr Yeboah stated.
The Metro Finance Officer expressed the Assembly’s determination to employ all legal means to claim all arrears owed to the assembly by institutions in the Metropolis to rake in the needed revenue to implement development projects.
But in a communication issued on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, in effect of the shutdown, the Management of SSNIT disclaimed owing the assembly and said the attempt to close the office was “unfortunate”.
SSNIT’s statement reads below:
The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) wishes to inform the public that its Cape Coast Branch remains open for business.
The Trust des not owe the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly and has duly paid its property rate to the assembly.
Therefore, attempts by officers from the Metropolitan Assembly to lock up the office, temporarily interrupting business, was unfortunate.
Contributors, Pensioners and the public can access our services at all the Trust’s offices, including the Cape Coast Branch as well as the available digital platform-@ssnitghana.
