I’m Disappointed in the SSNIT Board Led by Elizabeth Ohene, Says Ablakwa

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who spearheaded the “Hands Off Our Hotels” demonstration and serves as the Member of Parliament for the North Tongu Constituency, has demanded the immediate removal of the board of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).

Mr. Ablakwa expressed deep disappointment in the SSNIT board, under the leadership of Ms. Elizabeth Ohene, for their failure to intervene and prevent the trust from transferring its ownership shares in four hotels to Bryan Acheampong’s Rock City Hotel Limited.

The parliamentarian led hundreds of Ghanaians in the “Hands Off Our Hotels” protest in Accra on Tuesday, June 18th.

This follows his petition to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) on May 16, urging them to investigate and halt SSNIT’s ongoing sale process.

Additionally, Mr. Ablakwa formally requested President Akufo-Addo to intervene and stop the sale of SSNIT’s 60 percent stake in the four hotels.

Speaking to Roland Walker on TV3 New Day on Wednesday, June 19, after the demonstration, Mr. Ablakwa suggested, among other points, that instead of selling its shares in all four hotels, SSNIT should consider appointing new management for the hotels that are currently experiencing financial losses.

“One of our demands is that whole [SSNIT] board must be dissolved. They clearly are not working in our interest. How can labour ask you to stop and you don’t, labour is protesting. You are not at SSNIT working with your own money, you are working with money from workers. Workers contributions and we are talking about people’s lives, people’s pensions and SSNIT has been so unresponsive.