The Ghana Federation of Labour has warned of massive multiple demonstrations if officials of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) refuse to rescind the decision to sell 60% shares of its four hotels to Rock City Limited.
A livid General Secretary of the group, Abraham Koomson, has called on the Director- General of SSNIT, Kofi Bosompem Osafo-Maafo to resign if he cannot do the job.
“What is it? I can’t understand. If you think that you cannot cope, quit before you are sacked. Look, if they joke with we workers…” he threatened.
His comments follow the justification offered by Mr Osafo-Maafo on July 8 for the sale of the SSNIT’s stake in the hotels.
The SSNIT, in justifying the decision, said it has so far invested over GHC230 million to revive the hotels, but they have failed to yield any returns. This is despite public outrage and calls by the National Pensions Regulatory Commission for the sale to be suspended.
The Director-General of SSNIT, addressing a news conference in Accra, also discounted claims that the son of Freddy Blay bid for the hotels for over GHC150 million. He explained that the company that bid for Freddy Blay’s son failed to meet the requirement.
But Abraham Koomson, on 3FM’s Hot Edition, could not fathom the reason behind the SSNIT’s adamancy in selling off the hotels’ shares despite calls for a halt.
He lamented. “They are joking. We will go on the ground and organise massive multiple demonstrations across the country. What is it? You have been employed as CEO. You are told don’t sell this thing. If it’s about mismanagement of the hotels, get competent people to run the place. Why do you sell it?
Even the offer being made, their own advisor recommended strongly that they shouldn’t sell to the person they want to, since the payment arrangement will not favour SSNIT. What is it? Are they themselves going to buy it or what? As CEO, you are an employee of SSNIT. You don’t own the place. You are not yourself. What is it?” he quizzed.
Mr Koomson further lamented how their members are accusing them of being compromised, hence their inability to comment better on the issue.
“Our members are blaming us that maybe we have taken something, that’s why we are behaving the way we are. If they like, they should joke. We will go all out,” he warned.
