The Ghana Railways Corporation (GRC) and its Managing Director, Michael Adjei Anyetei, have been sued by the Takoradi office of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) for failing to pay GH¢4.13 million in unpaid social security contributions made by the company’s employees.
The SSNIT Prosecutor, Ann-Marie Annan, requested a bench warrant for the managing director’s arrest, and the Circuit Court, chaired by Araba Nunoo, granted it.
The prosecution informed the court that the corporation committed an infringement under the National Pensions Act, 2008 (ACT 766) when it neglected to pay the social security contributions of its employees at the Takoradi office, totaling GH¢4.126 million, between December 2022 and April 2024.
“Failing to pay social security contributions contrary to Section 83 (1)(d)(h) of the National Pensions Act, 2008 (ACT 766) as amended by Section 7 of the National Pensions (Amendment) ACT 2014 (ACT 883) is an offence,” the prosecution averred.
According to Ms. Annan, the act’s condition was not fulfilled by the first accused, the Managing Director of Ghana Railways Corporation, and the second accused, the business with its headquarters located in Takoradi Harbour.
Ms. Annan said that the first accused, the Managing Director of Ghana Railways Corporation, and the second accused, the company with its headquarters situated in Takoradi Harbour, failed to comply with the act’s requirements.
According to the prosecution, SSNIT filed demand letters to the accused individual and the company, asking them to appear for a meeting to discuss conditions of payment of their debt between the trust and the corporation’s management.
“Officers of the Trust subsequently visited the premises of the Ghana Railways Corporation on two occasions in an attempt to engage the management of the corporation and also retrieve a part of their indebtedness,” she told the court.
However, Ms. Annan stated that all attempts to guarantee an early and peaceful resolution were ineffective, which resulted in the first and second accused receiving criminal summonses to appear in court.
She explained that the bench warrant for his arrest had been applied as a result of his unwillingness to attend. The lawsuit has been postponed till this July 8th.