In a recent address, Hon. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations has called on government officials who have reached retirement age to step down, emphasizing the importance of providing opportunities for young professionals to assume leadership roles.
Hon. Pelpuo highlighted that many positions within the government are not so specialized as to necessitate extensions beyond the mandatory retirement age.
He noted that unless a role requires highly specialized skills, such as managing a nuclear facility, there should be no justification for retaining individuals on contract after retirement.
“The kind of jobs people do are not so sophisticated that they are asking for contracts.
“If they are sophisticated to the extent that this single person is the only one who has the capacity, who has the skill, who has the knowledge, then there’s a high possibility that he will be retained on contract to finish off a job that they are doing”
Hon. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, Minister for Employment and Labour Relations
The Minister expressed concern over instances where ministry officials unilaterally decide to retain employees beyond the retirement age without proper authorization.
He pointed out that such decisions are sometimes made without presidential approval, leading to situations where individuals are retained and continue to receive salaries unlawfully.
Impact on Youth Employment
Hon. Pelpuo underscored the negative impact of such practices on succession planning and youth employment.
He noted that when senior officials remain in their positions beyond the retirement age, it hampers the progression of younger employees who are poised to take over.
He further illustrated the scenario where deputies retire at 60, while their superiors continue to serve into their mid-60s.
“They are still there. In the last administration, you saw that a lot of them occupied big, big positions whilst people below them were rather retiring. They didn’t have the chance to take over”
Hon. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, Minister for Employment and Labour Relations
This stagnation caused by preventing the deputies from advancing, according to Hon. Pelpuo, denies younger professionals the opportunity to ascend to leadership roles and lend their energy to serving the country.
Emphasizing the need for equitable opportunities within the public service, Hon. Pelpuo advocated for a system that allows younger individuals to step into roles vacated by retirees.
He stressed that unless there is a “critical” need for an individual to remain, they should make way for others.
“We want to give everybody a chance – We just want to say that, look, leave, let somebody also come”
Hon. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, Minister for Employment and Labour Relations
SSNIT Contributions
Shifting focus to employer responsibilities, Hon. Pelpuo issued a stern warning to employers who fail to remit Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions on behalf of their employees.
“It’s also illegal not to pay somebody’s social security contribution. It’s illegal, but it’s a very frequent practice in this country, I know for a fact”
Hon. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, Minister for Employment and Labour Relations
Upon labelling the non-payment of these contributions as both “illegal” and prevalent, the Minister vowed to address the issue decisively.
He recounted recent instances where employers were confronted about failures to fulfill their SSNIT obligations.
“Quite recently, an issue of that kind was reported and, you know, we asked the employer to account for it and to pay every single amount of money that was not paid to the individuals, and they are obeying”
Hon. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, Minister for Employment and Labour Relations
He emphasized that failure on the part of any employer to comply would result in legal action, with consequences far more severe than merely settling the owed contributions.
Hon. Pelpuo’s remarks align with broader efforts to promote industrial harmony and ensure that workers’ rights are upheld.
By addressing both the retention of overage officials and the enforcement of SSNIT contributions, the Ministry aims to create a fair and just working environment for all Ghanaians.
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