President Nana Akufo-Addo, has broken his silence over the sale of 60 per cent shares in the four hotels belonging to the Social Security National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to Rock City Hotels, owned by Agricultural Minister, Bryan Acheampong.
The President, who described the labour-led agitation over the matter as an unnecessary controversy, urged Ghanaians to be guided in the pronouncement regarding SSNIT assets.
Speaking at the 12th quadrennial delegates conference of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) yesterday, Tuesday, President Akufo-Addo, noted that SSNIT, was working assiduously to ensure that they made profits, while the trust expanded its frontiers.
“The improved performance of SSNIT which recently in all successes [led to] GHC230m on its operations, this should be reassuring to organised labour and perhaps bring into sharper relief the unnecessary controversy that was recently generated by SSNIT’s efforts to offload non-performing assets in its hotel portfolio.”
“It is my understanding that the transaction that was aborted represented the only occasion in the recent history of SSNIT that external investors sought to invest in SSNIT holdings.
“All of us need to be measured when it comes to making decisions and pronouncements that would affect the long-term interests of pensioners,” he stated.
The move to sell off the SSNIT hotels, sparked significant backlash, notably from North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and organized labour, who viewed it as a distress sale to a government appointee.
This led to a nationwide protest and calls for a shake-up of SSNIT’s board representatives.
The move was subsequently aborted after Organised Labour threatened a nationwide strike.
Last month, the continuous disdain for public sentiments by the Akufo-Addo administration since 2017, concerning its policy was met with widespread anger which threatened national security, forcing the government to back down on its intended sale of the four hotels under the business portfolio the SSNIT.
Never in the recent history of this country, had workers’ unions united against a government’s decision, except during the introduction of the Value Added Tax (VAT) by the Jerry Rawlings administration in 1995, leading to the Kume Preko demonstration and the shooting to death of some protesters and onlookers, including a 14-year-old boy by security forces 29 years ago.
Ironically, Akufo-Addo, was an active participant in the protest organized by the Alliance For Change (AFC).
In response to the several sentiments from workers’ union upon workers’ union, SSNIT in an unsigned statement dated July 12, 2024, announced the termination of the sale of the four hotels, saying it had ceased the process, which was intended to transfer 60percent of the state-owned insurance company’s stake in the hotels to a private investor.
But the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), which also announced the strike action, remained resolute to participate in the strike beginning, Monday, July 15, 2024, by Organised Labour, unless the SSNIT officially communicates its termination of the sale of its four hotels beyond the unsigned letter by Elizabeth Ohene, its Board Chairperson.
The Public Utility Workers Union of TUC-Ghana (PUWU), the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union of TUC, the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG), Teacher Unions, and the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians have all declared a strike against the sale of the hotel to the Agric Minister’s company.
Ahead of the SSNIT’s termination, the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Forum for Public Sector Workers and the Ghana Federation of Labour had in a joint statement through Dr Yaw Baah, Secretary General, Dr Isaac Bampoe Addo, chairman and Kenneth Koomson, the Deputy Secretary General respectively declared that all workers stay at home from today Monday, 15th Monday, 2024 over the hotel sale because they found it difficult to understand the turnaround by the NPRA.
Organised Labour, had revealed their meeting with the President, Nana Akufo-Addo on June 25, 2024, and stated that it still stands by its position that the deal to sell the hotels was not in the interest of Ghanaian workers, which it told the President at the meeting.
It went ahead to instruct all workers in Ghana, not to go to work from Monday till SSNIT announces the termination of the deal to sell the shares of the four hotels to Rock City Hotel Limited.
The GMA, also declared a strike action on the sale of hotels, partially withdrawing its services from Monday, July 15, 2024, following the order by Organised Labour for all workers in Ghana to stop working from today.
The doctors noted that the action is to demand the cancellation of the deal for the sale of 60% shares in four hotels of the state-owned SSNIT, including the Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort, and Ridge Royal Hotel.
“Organised Labour, of which the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) is a member, has declared an indefinite industrial action. This is to press home the demand for the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to terminate the sale of sixty percent (60%) of its shares in the four (4) hotels,” part of the statement which was issued on Friday, July 12, 2024, reads.
The doctors in the statement signed by Dr Frank Serebour, the GMA President and Dr Richard Selormey, General Secretary, went ahead to give a roadmap for the withdrawal of their services. From Monday, July 15, 2024, to Wednesday, July 17, 2024, the doctors will withdraw all Out Patient Department (OPD) services.
Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association GHOSPA, declared a strike too through a statement signed by Dr Emmanuel Owusu Owiafe and Richard Ofosu Addai, national president and PTAG President respectively.
The Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, through its president Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo and General Secretary David Tenkorang-Twum respectively, also declared a strike action beginning today, Monday 15, July 2024.
The General Secretary of the General Transport, Petrol Chemical Workers’ Union, Fuseini Iddrisu, also issued notice to its membership to stay away from work, because of the sale of the hotels.
Health Accounting Staff Association of Ghana in a press statement, declared a partial strike beginning July 15, 2024, from the OPD to the emergency service from 18th to 21st July 2024, and a total withdrawal on July 22, 2024.
The workers’ anger was sparked by the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, who was accused of taking Ghanaians for granted over the sale of a 60percent stake in four SSNIT hotels.
The NPRA on June 28, issued a directive to the SSNIT board, demanding it suspend all processes seeking to engage Rock City Hotel Limited as a strategic investor.
But answering a question on the floor of parliament on July 11, the Minister for Employment, Labour Relations and Pensions, disclosed that NPRA, had given SSNIT the green light to proceed with the sale which led to the agitation by labour until the sale was called off.
