Workers support threat to embark on nation-wide strike

Tamale, September 18, GNA- A joint consultative Northern Regional forum of workers in Tamale on Thursday threw their weight behind the threat by organised labour to embark on a nation-wide strike if the National Health Insurance Scheme is passed into law.

They urged the President to return the bill to Parliament for civil society to make inputs to make its operation beneficial to workers. Members of Civil Servants Association (CSA), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the Judicial Services Staff Association of Ghana (JUSSAG) attended the forum to discuss the government's intention to deduct two and a half percent from workers' Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions as seed money for the implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

In a resolution, the workers said even though they are not against the Scheme, they are not equally happy with the two and a half percent deductions and will do everything possible to protect their pension scheme.

They said the SSNIT pension scheme will collapse within 17 years if workers' contributions are used to fund the Scheme.