STC�s Fate To Be Decided Next Month

The fate of troubled Intercity STC Company Limited is expected to be decided next month after a Board meeting for Trustees of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) -- the majority shareholder. The Board is expected to discuss whether SSNIT is going to restructure the ailing transport company or sell off its stake in the transport company. �It is the Board of Trustees [of SSNIT] that approved the payment of STC�s debts. The Board will meet next month to take a decision on [the fate of STC] so we can move forward,� Eva Amegashie, Corporate Affairs Manager of SSNIT, told the B&FT. SSNIT had earlier stepped in, acting on a resolution passed by its Board, to save the company from imminent collapse by absorbing its debts as at October 31, 2012. Since then, SSNIT has negotiated and paid GH�23million of the GH�45million owed by STC to its creditors as at October 2012. An amount of GH�7.5million was paid to Prudential Bank to cancel STC�s indebtedness to the bank. SSNIT has also paid GH�5.1million to the National Investment Bank (NIB); GH�554,000 to Agricultural Development Bank (ADB); GH�1.7million to businessman Mr. Svani; and settled the six-month outstanding salaries of STC staff, which stood at GH�1.66million. J.A. Plant Pool Limited, which in May 2012 immobilised 20 buses of STC owing to the company�s inability to service its debts, was paid GH�1.94million plus an additional GH�6.088million. STC, which currently operates a fleet of 30 buses, requires a minimum of 100 to operate at an optimum. That has made recapitalising STC crucial to ensure that the once-vibrant company takes its place in the booming transport industry. The company last year entered into a partnership with a private company, Afrinat, in which the latter was to procure 50 buses and operate them using STC�s resources. According to the terms, Afrinat and STC will earn 70 and 30 percent shares respectively of the revenue accruing to the partnership.