Give Ghanaians reason for removing SSNIT Boss – Governance Expert tells Akufo-Addo

A Governance Expert Professor Enoch Antwi has told President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that Ghanaians deserve to know the reason for terminating the appointment of the Director-General  (D-G) of the Social Security and Nationa Insurance Trusts.

Although he acknowledges that the president has the power to hire and fire, he said, the people want to know the reasons for the removal of the SSNIT D-G given the scandals that are ongoing in other institutions such as the Scholarship Secretariat.

Speaking on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 Tuesday, April 9, he said “It is wrong for somebody in public service to be terminated without any reason given to that. Because. This is wrong, even though the president has the power to hire and fire we the public have the right to know what he did because there are a lot of scandals going on, we know what is going on at the scholarship secretariat and many other places, it is not good to see these kinds of scandals going on in this country and in governance at this time.”

He added, “The person who has been fired should know what he did to serve as a deterrent to those who will be coming thereafter.”

Prof Enoch Antwi further criticized the appointment of Kofi Bosompem Osafo-Maafo, the son of President Akufo-Addo’s Senior Advisor, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, as the new Director General of SSNIT.

He says that this appointment entrenches the family and friends government that President Akufo-Addo has been accused of running.

He said “It raises a lot of eyebrows because there are many people who qualify to be the DG of SSNIT, why the son of the senior minister Honorable Osafo-Marfo’s son.

“Meanwhile there are other people who really qualify to do that. We have been talking about friends and family governance and nepotism where many people who do not know other people in government or they don’t have relatives who can really push them into these positions, so if you do that, in governance it means your biases are showing.”

President Akufo-Addo had sacked the Director-General of SSNIT, Dr John Ofori-Tenkorang with effect from Monday, April 15, 2024.

He has consequently asked the SSNIT boss to hand over to one of his deputies, Kofi Bosompem Osafo-Maafo.

This is contained in a letter dated April 8, 2024, signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante and addressed to Dr Ofori-Tenkorang.

Akufo-Addo gives SSNIT boss one week to hand over

“Reference is made to your appointment letter dated 1st July, 2019, issued by the Public Services Commission. In accordance with paragraph 8 of the said appointment letter, I regret to inform you that the President has terminated your appointment effective 15th April, 2024 with three (3) months’ salary in lieu of notice.

“You are directed to hand over your office to Mr. Kofi Bosompem Osafo-Maafo and proceed to collect any terminal benefits you may be entitled to,” portions of the letter read.

It continued that, “To ensure a smooth transition, kindly hand over and cease to act as the Director-General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) no later than close of business on Monday, 15th April, 2024.”

“The President thanks you for your service to the nation and extends his best wishes,” the letter concluded.

 

 

 

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