We need a Pension Relations Office - Dr Baah

Dr Yaw Baah, Deputy Secretary-General of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) has called for the creation of a Pension Relations Office to bring pension related issues in the public sector to the fore. He also called for Organized Labour to form a Master Trust Scheme to manage pensions on behalf of public sector workers in the country to enhance their interests under the Pension Reform. He said this at a workshop for Organised Labour comprising Unions within the GTUC and sister Unions towards forming such Master Trust Scheme and to discuss progress on the implementation of the Pension Reforms. Dr Baah said labour Unions have over the years concentrated on salary negotiations and better conditions of service to the neglect of their pensions. He said on the contrary informal discussions with a number of public sector workers showed that they were more concerned with their pension security and �as Unions our responsibility is to make pensions work�. Dr Baah said the establishment of an Advisory body on pensions was thus very necessary. He said Organized Labour should create their own common platform for regular discussions of pension related matters rather than rely on the sponsorship from non-governmental organizations. Mr Ernest Amartey Vondee, Director of Regulations of the National Pension Reforms Authority (NPRA), said the Authority will ensure an effective and efficient discharge of its mandate to ensure the efficient implementation of the Pension Reforms in Ghana. He called for �eternal vigilance� from organized labour to help the NPRA fulfil its mandate. Participants called on Labour Unions to establish appropriate mechanisms to keep members constantly informed on progress towards the implementation of the Pension Reforms process.