Judge cautions employers against non-payment of SSNIT contributions
A judge of the Circuit Court in Kumasi, Mr Emmanuel Agyiri, has cautioned employers against failure to pay their employees’ Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions.
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He said a better future for workers depended much on their contributions to the SSNIT Pension Fund, stating that it was a criminal offence for any employer to fail to pay the contribution.
Mr Agyiri gave the caution when the Ashtown District Court Two in Kumasi, where he sat as an additional magistrate, issued bench warrants for the arrest of 13 persons from seven establishments, whose companies had defaulted in the payments.
They included Eric Sarpong and Stephen Sarpong of First Care Health Services Limited, who have defaulted to the tune of GH¢10,380.71; Stephen S. Ofori of J.K. Agyeman and Sons Glory Oil Limited, GH¢1,500 and Anim Osei Yaw and Gabriel Ansah of New Champion Enterprise, GH¢2,932.93.
Others included Yang Vitallis of Holy Child School, GH¢5832.01; Sampson Addae, Emmanuel Otchere Gyasi and Ghandy Matthew Wiredu of Apostolic Faith Ministry International, GH¢7,087.23.
The rest were Mary Hilda Osei and Samuel Victor Abuh of Blessed Child School, GH¢1,932.48 and Bryan Afrifa of the Konadu Yiadom International School, GH¢2,476.20.
At the same hearing, the court cautioned and discharged two persons after their companies honoured their indebtedness to SSNIT at the last minute.
They were Kwasi Kwarteng of Saint International School, GH¢2,350.27 and Nana Kwame Wiafe of Reverence Preparatory School, GH¢1,374.01.
Others were also admitted to bail in the sums of between GH¢2,000 and GH¢10,000 and their cases adjourned to August 8, 2013.
They were Frank Kwarteng, Proprietor of Garden City Senior High School; Annor Boakye, Proprietor of Institute of Advanced Technology and his partner, Sungaya Isifu Adams; Samuel Naja Yaw Agyiri of F.N. Oppong Company Limited as well as Andrew Osei Owusu and Theresa Esi Amoah of Tessy Diagnostic Centre.
The rest were John Kojo Owusu of the Environmental Protection Association of Ghana and Richard Koduah of Agape International School.
According to the Prosecutor, Mr Ernest Amoako, the defaulting employers failed to pay the contributions of their employees in spite of persistent reminders.
This led to the issuance of criminal summons to them, leading to their prosecution at the court.
By Kwame Asare Boadu/Daily Graphic/Ghana