Caleb Kwaku Afaglo of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), being held over alleged forgery of some academic credentials, has entered plea bargaining with the state.

Afaglo, a former General Manager of Management of Information Systems (MIS), SSNIT, through his counsel told the High Court to grant them adjournment to explore the possibility of reaching an agreement.

Mr Bernard Shaw Counsel for Afaglo, said, “We have advised our client to explore avenues open to him in his defence. In furtherance of that the defence have commenced plea bargaining negotiations with the Attorney General.

In the light of that we are formally notifying this Court that course of action and grant us 30 days within which to conclude negotiations.”

Nana Ama Adinkra, Senior State Attorney, confirmed to the Court that the state had received a letter of intent to enter plea bargaining with the state.

The Senior State Attorney prayed the Court to grant the accused an adjournment not exceeding 30 days within which they would have explored the possibility of reaching an agreement.

The Trial Judge, Justice Henry Kwofie, Justice of the Supreme Court, sitting with additional responsibilities as a High Court Judge, after hearing both prosecution and defence and in the light of the plea bargaining, granted an adjournment.

It adjourned the matter to May 8, 2025.

Afaglo is facing charges of defrauding by false pretences, possession of forged documents and uttering forged documents in the SSNIT OBS Case.

Meanwhile, the Court has discharged Ernest Thompson, Ex-SSNIT Boss, John Hagan Mensah, Information Technology Infrastructure Manager of SSNIT and Peter Hayibor, Counsel for SSNIT, who were among others held for causing financial loss to the State.

They were discharged after the Attorney General entered and filed a Nolle Prosequi.

The Nolle Prosequi was filed on February 7, 2025, and three of the accused persons were February 20, 2025, discharged by the Court.

The accused persons in the matter were billed to open their defence before the Nolle Prosequi was filed.

Source: GNA

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The Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development – Ghana (VAST-Ghana) has called on the government to uncap the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) to ease the pressure on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

“The NHIL when uncapped as promised by the President can be one major avenue for additional funds to the government to reduce the financial strain on the NHIS and patients,” it stated.

A statement by Mr Labram Musah, Executive Director, VAST Ghana and National Coordinator, Ghana NCD Alliance urged the government through the Ministry of Health to initiate the process for an amendment of the earmarked Funds Capping and Realignment (Act 947).

“The NHIS no longer receives its full NHIL allocation, due to the capping law. Additionally, resources increasingly diverted towards non-core activities hinder efficiency. Today, less than 60 per cent of NHIS budget goes to claim payments,” it stated.

It said the uncapping would save many individuals suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

“The patients are burdened by high out-of-pocket costs for medications, diagnostics, and long-term treatment. The cap is seen as a negative measure by the health sector, weakening the potential revenue for NHIS operations,” it said.

The statement also recommended other key measures that the government should consider in the 2025 budget such as the upward review of the betting tax/retaining of the tax/restructuring the betting tax.

It said the rapid proliferation of sports betting, particularly among young people and children, was contributing to a silent public health crisis, exacerbating mental health disorders, financial ruin, and social instability.

“Betting addiction has been linked to rising cases of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse, which in turn increase the burden of NCDs such as cardiovascular diseases and hypertension,” the statement said.

It called on the government to review the excise tax to increase taxes on unhealthy products – tobacco, alcohol, sugar sweetened beverages (sugar, energy and carbonated drinks) ultra processed food.

The statement said in 2023 the government introduced excise taxes on unhealthy products such as tobacco, alcohol and sugar products in Excise Duty Amendment Act, 2023 (Act 1108).

The taxes were not benchmarked to inflation so over time the prices become cheap and government losses revenue.

World Health Organization recommends these excise taxes must be reviewed regularly to keep pace to inflation.

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has indicated that revenue has increased from the excise taxes.

The GRA reports that excise tax revenue has significantly increased. The total excise tax revenue from SSBs was GH¢228.62 million in 2012, GH¢406.02 million in 2017, and GH¢735.46 million in 2022.

Following the introduction of the new tax in April 2023, revenue soared to GH¢1,325.57 million in 2023 (Source: GRA, 2023).

There was the need for government to earmark a percentage or portion of the excise tax to support specific health interventions such as NCDs, health promotion, among other health issues.

“We are particularly appreciative of President John Dramani Mahama on plans to establish the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCare) in the coming weeks which will be dedicated to financing the treatment of NCDs.

“This initiative is crucial, as over 41 million annual deaths globally are attributable to NCDs, while in Ghana NCDs account for 45 per cent of all deaths annually,” the statement said.

The government should repurpose the COVID fund to support NCDs and to support the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCare).

Source: GNA

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Ms Linda Acquah, the Tema Metropolitan Director of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), has advised the public not to wait until they have medical emergencies before rushing to renew their National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) membership.

Ms Acquah said most people wait and rush to renew their membership when in an emergency, a situation she said could fail them.

She explained that renewal often takes about a month to take effect; therefore, it is advisable to do renewal on time.

She gave the advice during the Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate’s 2024 Annual Performance Review.

She appealed to the health officials to educate clients about the renewal of their cards, adding that the cards could be renewed on the ‘My NHIS App’ without visiting their offices. “Registration and renewal have become very simple with the use of the My NHIS App. There is no need to come to our office. Download and use the Ghana Card to register; no need for a picture and fingerprint,” she stated.

Ms. Acquah acknowledged that a few facilities were having challenges accepting the NHIS card due to the software they were using, which she said was not able to accept the needed code.

She urged such facilities to upgrade their systems to be able to accept the code, explaining that the ‘My NHIS App’ generates a 10-digit code, which the old systems are unable to pick, therefore the need for an upgrade to the current system.

Source: GNA

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Mr James Agyenim-Boateng, the Acting Managing Director of SIC Insurance PLC, has called on state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and other institutions with state interest to insure their businesses with SIC Insurance PLC.

A statement issued by SIC Insurance PLC, copied to the Ghana News Agency said Mr Agyenim-Boateng was speaking during a courtesy call on Madam Emeafa Hardcastle, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission, Ghana, at the Commission’s head office in Accra.

Mr Agyenim-Boateng assured that SIC Insurance PLC was stable, had strong financial muscle and pays claims on time.

He said his visit was to explore closer collaboration with the Petroleum Commission and to solicit the support of its Chief Executive Officer in ensuring that SIC does not only insure the assets of the Commission but also becomes a major player for insurance services in the oil and gas sector.

He said he was committed to working hard to return all the big insurance accounts that were deliberately taken away from SIC Insurance PLC.

He urged Chief Executive Officers, especially those in state-owned enterprises, to cooperate and help the state insurer reposition itself as the lead insurer in the country.

Source: GNA

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Ghana has received a $2.8 million crop insurance premium, part of which will be distributed to smallholder farmers in northern and southern Ghana affected by the 2024 dry spells.

A portion of the fund will also be used to cover premiums for flood-related damages in Kumasi, Accra, and Takoradi.

A highly placed source at the Ministry of Finance informed the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday that the Ministry was currently finalising internal processes to begin payments to affected farmers soon.

The government last year purchased a $1 million crop insurance premium, paid to the African Risk Capacity (ARC), to safeguard farmers whose crops were impacted by the dry spell.

The initiative is being funded by the Global Shield Solution Platform (GSSP), an international non-profit organization focused on increasing protection for vulnerable populations.

Last year, the government announced a GH¢1,000 assistance to each farmer identified as especially vulnerable to the agricultural challenges brought on by current climate conditions.

The support was intended to help farmers purchase subsidised agricultural inputs, particularly fertilisers, which are vital for sustaining their farms.

According to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ghana faced a dry spell during the last farming season that affected 1.8 million hectares of crops and 980,000 farmers.

The losses were estimated at GH¢22.2 billion, with the affected regions contributing about 62 percent of the country’s annual grain supply.

The country experienced a shortage of cereals this season due to dry spells in the northern parts of Ghana, leading to the loss of livelihoods for many farmers.

The dry spell has caused significant financial losses, with an estimated investment loss of GH¢3.5 billion and a revenue loss of GH¢10.4 billion.

The Global Shield Solution Platform is an international non-profit organization focused on providing better pre-arranged financial support for disaster-affected regions.

The African Risk Capacity, established in 2012 at the request of African Union Heads of State, was created to address the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters and to provide a reliable and consistent means of financing disaster-related costs.

The institution works with African nations to plan, prepare for, and respond to natural disasters.

Source: GNA

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Mr Ivan Abubakar Avereyireh, former President, Ghana Insurers Association (GIA), has called for a GH¢1 million penalty payment as a punitive measure to curb undercutting in the insurance industry.   

Undercutting, a practice where an insurance company offers lower premium than its competitors to attract more customers, he said, had gained roots in sales of insurance products and must be nipped in the bud.  

Delivering a keynote address at the 2025 Ghana Insurance Summit held at Tema, Mr Avereyireh, said the 5000 penalty units which amounts to GH¢60 000 placed on any offender was not deterrent enough since most companies could pay without the knowledge of their boards.  

The Summit which brought together industry players and other relevant stakeholders from across the country was on the theme: “Upholding High Ethical Practices: Tracking Undercutting for Long Term Sustainability.”   

He urged the National Insurance Commission (NIC) to consider raising the penalty payment and pushing for an amendment of the provisions in the Insurance Act, 2021 (Act 1061), which talk about the 5000 penalty units.   

“We are saying that after punishing the companies, we should identify the individual who signed that document that undercuts and single him out for punishment. The Chartered Insurance Institute of Ghana (CIIG) should be able to take the culprit out of the books, then people will know that if the undercut happens, they will be punished and will refrain from doing it,” he said.   

The former President said undercutting had dire consequences on the economy since the insurance sector served as the backbone of it, adding that the practice was making the companies weaker in terms of charging the right premiums and paying the right claims.  

“If you have weaker insurance companies and the unfortunate events take place and we don’t come in to pay the claimants who genuinely came to take the products thinking that when it happens we shall be by their side, then you can imagine how disappointing it will be for them,” he said.   

Mr Avereyireh who is also a former President of West Africa Insurance Companies Academic Board (WAICA), said the sector players had failed to act right and urged them to use innovations, artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies to promote their products.   

He said: “Let’s be ethical and charge the right premiums that the National Insurance Commission says we should charge. Let’s also use product differentiation, quality service, very good customer service to differentiate us from other insurance rather than trying to cut back on the correct premiums.”  

Dr Abiba Zakariah, Acting Commissioner, NIC, said they would be hard on those committing the offence, especially as most people had been yearning for lasting situations, adding that in as much as they sought to enforce the law, they needed to continue having the conversation around it.   

“If tougher sanction is what it takes to get the solution, we wound not shy away from doing that. But sometimes, it is not only about the fines and charges but punishing people to the fact that they cannot operate,” she noted.   

The Acting Commissioner also said one of the ways to curb the practice would be to have industry players undertake fit and proper test to see how professional and ethical they had been.   

Source: GNA 

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The majority leader of parliament, Mahama Ayariga, in a major statement on the floor of parliament, has proposed the setting up of a pension fund for members of parliament (MPs).

He said such a retirement package would assist MPs financially when they lose their seats or voluntarily retire from parliament at the end of their term.

It would also cater for the welfare issues of the current MPs who can look forward to a retirement package.

Mr. Ayariga proposed that parliament sets up a committee to map out the pension scheme to look at best practices and models adopted by other countries such as Kenya.

He suggested that carbon credit revenues can be used to fund the pension scheme, which would also promote a green economy.

Contributions made by some of the MPs showed that some of the former MPs who don’t return to parliament or lost their seats look so poverty-stricken that they become beggars with no money to buy their medications to stay alive after leaving parliament.

The MPs fully supported the pension scheme and proposal, saying it would take care of their welfare issues.

There was however disagreements on the sources of funding for the scheme as some said government should be brought in to support, others said taxpayers should not be burdened and that a committee should be set up to see to these issues.

Based on these a committee is being set up to look at the pension scheme, the modalities and how to fund it.

In another development, MPs called for the country to strengthen its pre-emergency care and pre-hospital system to cut down on morbidly and mortality rates.

They were contributing to a statement by an MP on the floor on pre-emergency care to take care of medical emergencies before people are rushed to the health facilities.

The issues of lack of skills in administering first aid, dealing quickly with health emergencies and ensuring that deaths are prevented by simple medical intervention came up for discussions.

The MPs also contributed to a statement on the need to support persons living with leprosy and disabilities in general.

By Eunice Menka

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The government has announced the introduction of an insurance scheme to reduce the risk in Ghana’s agriculture sector, making it attractive for financial institutions to provide loans to farmers to enhance productivity.

Mr Eric Opoku, the Food and Agriculture Minister, disclosed this when he appeared before Parliament’s Appointments Committee for vetting, announcing the Ghana Agriculture Insurance Scheme (GAIS).

He explained that because the country’s agricultural sector was rain-fed, banks usually hesitated to offer credit to farmers, indicating that the scheme would subsidise insurance to derisk lending.

Mr Opoku noted that the implementation of the insurance scheme would, therefore, allow banks to offer credit to farmers to expand their farming activities and increase productivity.

“Once you have the insurance, the banks are ready to advance loans to you, knowing very well that whatever amount they give you, so long as it falls the limit of the insurance, it can be paid,” he said.

In 2022, the then sector Minister, Dr Afriyie Owusu Akoto, announced the submission of a proposal for legislation to Cabinet for banks in the country to, at least, earmark 20 per cent of their loans to agriculture but nothing has been heard yet.

The Food and Agric Minister nominee noted that it was the challenge of access to credit that Dr Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana’s first President) in 1965 established the Agric Development Bank to provide credit facilities for the development and modernisation of agric.

He pledged the government’s commitment to ensuring that such measures were enhanced to address the challenges farmers faced, while connecting them to mini processing companies as well as ready market for their produce.

“We will establish a strong relationship between agriculture and industry, so that as agric provides the raw materials, industry, will be adding value. In so doing, we will generate a lot of jobs and reduce food losses significantly in our country,” he noted.

Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, a member of the Appointments Committee, urged the Minister to learn from countries like India, Kenya and Zambia, where similar agricultural insurance schemes had been implemented to guide Ghana’s scheme rollout.

Mr Annoh-Dompreh, who studied agriculture at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), asked the sector minister nominee to involve actuarial scientists to assess the risk and uncertainty in the sector and provide workable solutions.

Source: GNA

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In a hard rebuke of obvious non-compliance and mismanagement, the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has been slammed with a hefty GH¢200,000 administrative penalty by the Right to Information Commission.

The penalty is a direct consequence of the actions, or rather inactions, of the outgone Director-General, Kofi Bosompem Osafo-Marfo, whose disregard to duty has not only tarnished the institution’s image but also potentially jeopardized the hard-earned contributions of countless Ghanaian workers.

The ruling, handed down after a comprehensive review of an application filed by investigative journalist Innocent Samuel Appiah, is a scathing indictment of Osafo-Marfo’s leadership and a stark reminder of the consequences of disregarding the principles of transparency and accountability enshrined in the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989).

A chronology of defiance

The saga began on November 14, 2024, when the journalist petitioned the RTI Commission to review SSNIT’s apparent refusal to grant him access to information he had requested on multiple occasions – August 2, August 8, August 16, August 26, and September 10, 2024, to be precise.

His requests, which centered around an alleged unlawful staff member at SSNIT, compensation packages of his predecessor and his deputy, some allegations concerning his predecessor that surfaced on social media, among others, were met with a deafening silence, prompting the reporter to file an internal review application on October 25, 2024. However, in a stunning display of contempt for due process, SSNIT, under Osafo-Marfo’s leadership, failed and neglected to respond to this application as well.

Undeterred, the Commission stepped in, requesting an explanation from SSNIT for its failure to comply with Appiah’s requests. This letter, dated November 2, 2024 was met with the same wall of silence that had characterized SSNIT’s conduct throughout this saga.

The ruling

In its landmark ruling, the Commission methodically dissected Appiah’s requests, concluding that the information sought did not fall within the exemptions under Act 989. The Commission’s analysis was thorough and unequivocal, finding no grounds to deny these requests on the basis of frivolity or vexation.

Addressing the specific requests, the Commission ruled that while certain information pertaining to the travel details and movements of an alleged unlawful staff member could be considered exempt due to potential safety risks, the bulk of the requests, including details on compensation packages for a class of public officers, did not meet the threshold for exemption.

The Commission’s ruling was a resounding affirmation of the principles enshrined in Act 989, which seeks to promote transparency and accountability within public institutions while protecting legitimate privacy concerns.

A harsh penalty

However, it was SSNIT’s blatant disregard for the law and its failure to respond to the journalist’s requests, as well as the Commission’s subsequent inquiries, that drew the harshest criticism and the imposition of the unprecedented GH¢200,000 fine.

The Commission’s ruling was unequivocal in its condemnation of Osafo-Marfo’s leadership, stating that the respondent’s “posture of non-compliance with the provisions of Act 989, particularly its unresponsiveness to the applicant’s request applications and the letter from the Commission,” was a clear dereliction of duty.

The law is clear: public institutions have a responsibility to respond to applications within 14 days, regardless of whether the information can be disclosed or not. SSNIT’s failure to adhere to this fundamental obligation has now resulted in a harsh financial penalty, one that could have been avoided had Osafo-Marfo and his team demonstrated a modicum of respect for the rule of law and the principles of good governance.

A blow to workers

The implications of this ruling extend far beyond the financial penalty itself. By mismanaging the Trust’s response to legitimate requests for information, Osafo-Marfo did not only undermine public confidence in SSNIT but has also potentially put at risk the very contributions that countless Ghanaian workers have entrusted to the institution.

The GH¢200,000 fine, which must be paid within 14 days of receiving the Commission’s letter, will ultimately be drawn from the funds that should have been safeguarded for the benefit of SSNIT’s members. This represents a direct financial loss to the Trust, one that could have been avoided had Osafo-Marfo prioritized transparency and accountability over obfuscation and non-compliance.

Additionally, the ruling stipulates that failure to pay the fine within the prescribed period will result in an additional default penalty of 10 percent on the principal sum for every subsequent 14-day period of non-compliance. This escalating penalty structure underscores the gravity of SSNIT’s transgressions and the Commission’s determination to hold the Trust accountable for its actions – or lack thereof.

A call for reform and accountability

As the dust settles on this landmark ruling, the spotlight now turns to the broader issue of governance and leadership within public institutions. The actions of Osafo-Marfo and his team have not only tarnished SSNIT’s reputation but have also served as a stark reminder of the consequences of ignoring the principles of transparency and accountability enshrined in Act 989.

Civil society organizations and governance experts have been quick to condemn SSNIT’s conduct, calling for sweeping reforms and the implementation of robust oversight mechanisms to prevent such egregious mismanagement from occurring in the future.

“The actions of SSNIT and its leadership under Osafo-Marfo are a betrayal of the public trust,” stated Professor Kwame Agyeman, a renowned expert in corporate governance. “Public institutions like SSNIT are custodians of the hard-earned contributions of Ghanaian workers, and their mismanagement not only erodes public confidence but also puts those very contributions at risk.”

As SSNIT prepares to usher in a new era of leadership, the lessons of this saga must not be forgotten. Transparency, accountability, and a steadfast commitment to the rule of law must be the cornerstones upon which the Trust rebuilds its reputation and restores the faith of the Ghanaian public.

Only through a concerted effort to uphold the highest standards of governance and a zero-tolerance policy for non-compliance can SSNIT hope to regain the trust of the very workers whose futures it was entrusted to safeguard.

By Peter Quarshie

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The Ghana Universities Workers’ Pension Scheme investment return increased from GH¢137.02 million in 2022 to GH¢198.35 million in 2023.

The figure represents 24.60 per cent for the 2023 financial year as compared to 21.20 per cent in 2022.

Professor Solomon Abekah Keelson, the Board Chairman, Ghana Universities Workers’ Pension Scheme announced this at the Scheme’s maiden stakeholder engagement in Accra.

Professor Keelson said the Scheme’s benefits decreased by 5.16 per cent to GH¢5.02 million at the end of 2023 compared to GH¢5.29 million in 2022.

The Scheme, he stated, recorded a marginal increase in active membership by 2.48 per cent from 4,549 in 2022 to 4,662 in 2023.

He said 2023 was quite a challenging one for the economy, experiencing a steep depreciation of the local currency and heightened inflation.

He said interest rates on fixed-income securities increased persistently as the Bank of Ghana’s efforts to rein in inflation through the monetary policy rate did not yield the expected results.

Prof Keelson said gains made by collective investment schemes were eroded due to the implementation of the mark-to-market valuation policy by the Securities and Exchange Commission in the fourth quarter of 2023.

The effect of the policy, he stressed, led to the Scheme recording negative real returns for the first time in ten years.

He said the 2023 year saw the implementation of the unpopular Domestic Debt Exchange programme (DDEP), where domestic notes and bonds of Ghana were restructured.

The Professor said the Scheme participated in the DDEP and had successfully exchanged the old bonds for the new ones.

He said the Scheme’s commitment to proper governance through regular engagements with stakeholders had been vital to its success.

“We remain committed to pursuing prudent investment strategies aimed at diversifying the investment portfolio and delivering optimal returns to its members at a reasonable level of risk,” he said.

Owiredu-Yeboah Consult, an Independent Auditor, in its report, said proper books of accounts had been kept, and the statements of net assets available for benefits and statements of changes in net assets available for benefits, among others, agreed with the books of accounts.

According to the report, the Scheme’s transactions were within its powers, and the Scheme generally complied with the relevant provisions of the National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766) and the Occupational and Personal Pension (General Regulations, 2011 (LI. 1990).

Source: GNA

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