WHAT is happening at the Social Security and National Trust (SSNIT) where its head of Management Information Systems (MIS) Division, ‘Dr’ Caleb Kwaku Afaglo, has been interdicted for using fake certificates to get his appointment is most appalling and disgraceful for a noble institution like SSNIT.
It is bad for the image of the state institution, charged with the sole responsibility of managing the pension emoluments of workers in this country. ‘Dr’ Afaglo’s interdiction, we understand, was upon the instruction of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) whose investigations into activities of ‘Dr’ Afaglo led to huge financial loss to the state institution.
AND sadly it was through EOCO’s investigations that it emerged that ‘Dr’ Afaglo did not have a doctorate degree. In fact, according to EOCO, its findings revealed further that the embattled ‘Dr’ Afaglo did not have a master’s degree or even a bachelor’s degree.
PRIOR to the interdiction of ‘Dr’ Afaglo, SSNIT has been in the news, receiving some public bashings over its procurement of a faulty software costing the taxpayer a whopping $72 million. Why this happened is something EOCO is working to unravel.
BUT Today is deeply astonished that a state institution like SSNIT where we have all entrusted our pension monies will engage people with questionable credentials. It is something that Today finds extremely difficult to come to terms with.
THAT we do not do due diligence on persons we engage to work in sensitive institutions is baffling. It is simply preposterous, and it gives us a notion about how people are appointed into top positions in the public sector. We believe that the question which is engraved on the lips of many Ghanaians is this: does SSNIT do due diligence on its employees, particularly those at the helm of affairs?
SERIOUSLY, one will not be wrong to answer the above question with a big no. In the view of Today, it is disgusting to hear the kind of revelations coming out of SSNIT and how our pension monies are being used.
IT is a serious matter which has not only cast the image of SSNIT in a bad light, but has equally contributed to the country losing some huge sums of money. We urge EOCO to thoroughly investigate all the allegations of forgery and misappropriation of funds because stakeholders want to know. All wrong-doings at SSNIT, once investigated, should lead to severe reprimand where individuals have been proven liable.
THUS, Today urges EOCO to investigate all the wrong doings going on at SSNIT and all those found liable made to face the full rigours of the law. What is more, this should serve as a wake-up call to all, particularly public institutions, who depend on the tax-payer’s money. Backgrounds of persons hired to manage any such assets should be of prime concern to hiring authorities.
WE need qualified people with integrity to manage strategic institutions who would ensure effective and efficient management of our assets. What is going on at SSNIT currently must serve as a reminder to all strategic public institutions to perhaps do proper due diligence during recruitment to save such huge embarrassments. We need to protect the sanctity of our institutions.
