Court issues bench warrant for arrest of SSNIT defaulters

A circuit court in Kumasi, on Thursday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of four business executives for defaulting in payment of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions of their employees. This followed their failure to appear before the court after they have been duly served with a writ of summons. They are Mr Akoto Boateng, Managing Director of Unipharma Limited, Nana Adom, General Manager of Wadoma Hotel, Madam Grace Osei Afriyie, Proprietress of Ayiwa Memorial Maternity Home at Suame and Madam Mary Bandoh, owner of Heavenly Jewels Nursery School. Earlier, representatives of Atwima Mutual Health Insurance Scheme, St. Paul�s Cooperative Credit Union, Seventh-Day Adventist Senior High School, Bantama and Charles Opoku of Bekamas Enterprise, and Mr Kwaku Duah, owner of Franky J. International Limited appeared before the court, presided over by Mr Justice Emmanuel Agyir, for defaulting in the payment of SSINT contributions of their employee. Some of the defaulters paid the outstanding amount while others arranged to settle their debt at court. Mr Francis Edwin Mbeah of the SSNIT Prosecution Office in Kumasi, told the court that even though the offending individuals and organizations had deducted the SSNIT contributions of their employees for they have refused to pay them to SSNIT as required by law despite demand notices and warning letters. Mr Justice Agyir said he took a serious view of the case since it bordered on the future of the employees, who were contributing to make the businesses of the offenders flourish.