The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) is to begin investigation into some alleged ‘dubious’ land deals, which the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) engaged in with contributors’ money.
The investigation is expected to cover payments of over five million dollars to Premier Portfolio LTD, to purchase a land, which was allegedly fraudulently acquired.
A petition presented by Joseph Bediako, a former FONKAR Executive and Convener for the Movement for Truth and Accountability on Friday 3rd March 2017; to the crime office would serve as the premise for the probe.
According to documents that accompanied the petition, of which copies are available to the New Crusading GUIDE, the one and half-acre plot of land, located near the SSNIT guesthouse in Accra, originally belongs to one Mr. Nunoo, a businessman, who legally purchased it from the Osu stool in 2004.
However, a report from an investigator revealed that an unknown source at the Lands Commission transferred the land to Premier Portfolio without the notice and consent of the rightful owner in 2016.
Grippingly, SSNIT, a grantor of Premier Portfolio bought the land at a whooping Five Million, Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars (US$5, 450, 000), according to the Sale and Purchase of Land Agreement between the two companies signed by Ernest Thompson, Director General of SSNIT.
Meanwhile, separate High Courts presided over by Justices Anthony Agade, and Merley Wood, returned the ownership of the land to Mr. Nunoo and instructed the Lands Commission to plot the said land in his name, which was done accordingly.
The return of the land to its rightful owner means, the hard earned monies contributed by workers to take care of their retirement in the near future have gone to waste.
All efforts by the New Crusading Guide to locate the premises of Premier Portfolio or contact its listed Directors have been fruitless. Interestingly, a quick check at the Registrar- General’s Department revealed that one Kwabena Duffuor and Akosua Fosuah Duffuor are the directors.
Joseph Bediako called for an intense probe into the whereabouts of the committed monies, and queried when SSNIT will start pursuing contributors.
The convener is also pushing for the perpetrators to be handed over to the appropriate quarters for prosecution to serve as deterrent to others.
Bediako said it was a surprise that an organization such as SSNIT would engage itself in such a corrupt deal and go to the extent of defending it in court.
“I look forward to a successful outcome from the EOCO probe, failure of which I will head to court”, Bediako added,
Bediako argued, “As it stands now, I do not trust any of the directors in both organizations. I believe it was an intentional act to create, loot and share public funds under the guise of a project”.
He disclosed that he would be uncovering many corrupt deals in public institutions perpetrated by some officers who worked under the previous government.
He said he welcomes government’s decision to appoint a special prosecutor as that will help bring closure to many corrupt practices under the Mahama government.
Source: New Crusading Guide
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This country is sick and most of its public servants are worse than the devil. This is the time we have to introduce firing squads, the Chinese style. Poor Acheampong and co. suffered for nothing.
I'm a Ssnit staff and will admit that the riot carried out by the NDC government in Ssnit is very serious and heads must role including all De executives. They are part. Name them, from recruitment that procedures were not followed to bad contracts and De rest. Pls also blame the board and De union reps on it from TUC to ICU who were on the board for their selfish gains only. In investigate more and u will see more rot than expected.greedy management. Sack and reshuffle to the branch manager positions and u will see more NDC appointees there who are not well qualified to occupy those positions were singlehandedly put there by Ernest Thompson. Over 600 hundred last minutes recruitments with no chairs and tables for them to sit on. Hmmmmm De old staff are more than tired for over 7 yes without promotion except their children and family members have were recruited illegally and promoted to higher positions. Some old staff have Mba qualifications but still.
ONAAPO? FEFEEEEFE!!!!!!!
GOING ON PENSION WITHOUT PENSION SALARY IS DEATH SENTENCE. I WAS SENTENCED TO COMPULSORY RETIREMENT IN OCTOBER 2012. SSNIT TOLD ME THEY WOULD PAY ME SOME LUMP SUM OF MONEY BUT NO PENSION SALARY. I COULDN'T SATISFY THEIR THEN 240 MONTHS REQUIREMENT BUT I DID AROUND 235 MONTHS. BEING A MEDICAL OFFICER, I WASN'T TOO WORRIED BECAUSE I KNEW I WAS ENTITLED TO 5 YEARS POST RETIREMENT CONTRACT WITH THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH BUT THE ACCURSED NDC GOVT ALSO CANCELLED THE MEDICAL DOCTORS' POST RETIREMENT CONTRACT IN 2013 WHEN I HAD DONE ONLY ONE YEAR OF THE CONTRACT AND EVEN REFUSD TO PAY ME FOR THE YEAR'S POST RETIREMENT CONTRACT I HAD DONE IN 2013. I HAVE REALLY RECEIVED KNOCKS BUT I AM SURVIVING THOUGH, THE HARD WAY. I ADVISE THE YOUTH TO GUARD THEIR SSNIT CONTRIBUTIONS VERY WELL WHILE SSNIT TOO COULD BE FLEXIBLE AND PAY FRACTIONS OF PENSION SALARY ACCORDING TO THE PERCENTAGE OF THE MAXIMUM REQUIRED NUMBER OF MONTHS. GOING ON PENSION WITHOUT PENSION SALARY IS A SURE 'DEATH SENTENCE.' THE 12 MONTHS I DID HOUSE JOB THERE WAS NO SSNIT CONTRIBUTION, I AM YET TO KNOW WHY.
We have patience, we will wait and go step by step. we will follow the evidence wherever it leads. Onaapo
Eiiiiiiiii!! My God!! This is a country in which an asthmatic child dies from an asthma attack because there is no medication for treatment. Why do we do this to ourselves? What is all this greed. How can 1 person take all this money? Self-hatred?? God save us>