12 labour unions fighting for the tier-two pension contributions revealed plans to demonstrate in the capital Accra and the Ashanti Regional capital Kumasi on Thursday.
In the latest turn of the recent Government-Labor tango over pensions in Ghana, Sahara Reporters has learnt of a pendant industrial action to take place in the country’s 2 biggest cities.
12 labour unions fighting for the tier-two pension contributions revealed plans to demonstrate in the capital Accra and the Ashanti Regional capital Kumasi on Thursday.
John Ankrah, Director of Grievances at Civil and Local Government Staff Association (CLOGSAG), says the leadership of the unions in the two regions arrived at the decision to drive home their point about the tier-two pension issue. “We have to take this path to bring to the attention of the public our infrastructure due to the impediments placed in our way to operate the four public schemes registered and licensed by National Pensions Regulatory Authority to operate the tier two pensions,” he told the press.
There was an earlier action against the government from the aggrieved Unions on October 22, 2014. Protestors were asking government to transfer their tier-two pension funds into a privately managed account instead of leaving it in government’s total control. There seemed to have been some resolution to the matter when Government won an ex parte injunction directing the unions to call of the strike. After failing to reach an amicable solution, the unions filed a counter suit, asking the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) and the Bank of Ghana to make certain disclosures on the fund; how it has been invested and what returns that has accrued on the investment.
It is unclear why only 2 out of the 10 regions are embarking on Thursday’s strike. Some suspect government manipulation in the ranks of Labor while Employment and Labor Relations Minister has promised an cordial resolution.