Former Director-General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang, has disclosed that he never accepted sitting allowances or board fees during his seven-year tenure.
He stated that he declined all such allowances due to potential conflicts of interest.
“As a member of the Board of Trustees, I’m entitled to sitting allowances each time I attend a Board Meeting or a Subcommittee meeting.
“That is my entitlement, enshrined in law. But I saw a conflict because I, by and large, determine how many meetings to have in a particular month.
“And if each time I call for a meeting, I get paid, then as you can imagine, something that can be done in one meeting may spill into 2 or more meetings, because I’ll get paid more.
“Therefore, because of this conflict that I saw, I have not collected one pesewa in board fees and sitting allowances during my 7-year tenure as the head of this institution,” 3news.com quoted him to have said during his farewell address to the SSNIT staff on April 15, 2024.
Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang emphasized his dedication to maintaining transparency and ethical standards within the organization.
“I have made my fair share of personal sacrifices for the Trust,” he emphasized.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, April 9, terminated the appointment of Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang and handed over the affairs of SSNIT to Kofi Bosompem Osafo-Maafo, the son of the former senior minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo.
Dr. Martin also urged individuals earning income abroad to voluntarily disclose and pay applicable taxes in Ghana, potentially avoiding penalties.
Meanwhile, Dominic Adamnor Nortey, Chief Revenue Officer, clarified that taxing resident Ghanaians on foreign income wasn’t a recent imposition. He noted the law’s existence since 2016, mandating individuals in Ghana to declare all incomes earned, both domestically and internationally, for taxation.
He added that enforcement of this law is now feasible due to the GRA’s enhanced information capabilities.