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Tag: Australian-Ghanaian Sisters

  • Over 103,000 self-employed Ghanaians join SSNIT’s SEED program

    Over 103,000 self-employed Ghanaians join SSNIT’s SEED program

    More than 103,292 self-employed individuals have joined the Social Security and National Insurance Scheme (SSNIT) through the newly launched Self-Employed Enrolment Drive (SEED), aimed at increasing pension coverage for those in the informal sector.

    Introduced in May 2023, the SEED initiative has made significant strides in expanding financial security among Ghana’s self-employed workforce, marking a major milestone in pension coverage efforts.

    During a news briefing organized by the Ministry of Information in Accra, Minister of Employment, Labour Relations, and Pensions, Mr. Ignatius Baffour Awuah, shared this update.

    He emphasized that SEED was created to address the persistent challenge of inadequate pension coverage for self-employed workers, who make up a large segment of the labor force.

    The initiative provides self-employed individuals with customized benefits and flexible contribution options, aiming to offer them the same level of financial security as those employed in the formal sector.

    “With the launch of SEED, we are making pensions accessible to every Ghanaian, regardless of their employment status.

    This initiative is a significant change for self-employed individuals who previously lacked the means to secure their future through pension contributions,” Mr Awuah explained.

    He reported that in the first half of 2024, SSNIT collected 90.8% of its projected private sector contributions, totaling GHS 2.4 billion. This was slightly below the expected GHS 2.6 billion.

    The Minister noted that contributions from the public sector exceeded expectations, with SSNIT collecting GHS 3.2 billion, which is 144% of the projected GHS 2.2 billion.

    Additionally, the SEED initiative has already brought in GHS 52.6 million in contributions, and this amount is expected to increase as more self-employed individuals enroll in the Scheme.

    “Our focus is not just on expanding coverage, but also on ensuring that these contributions translate into meaningful benefits for our members.

    “The success of the SEED so far is a testament to the trust that self-employed Ghanaians have placed in SSNIT to safeguard their future,”Mr Awuah added.

    He highlighted that SSNIT’s total assets have experienced significant growth, rising from GHS 15.2 billion in December 2016 to GHS 71.69 billion by March 2024. This represents an impressive 350% increase over seven years.

    These assets are crucial for investment, infrastructure development, and job creation, supporting broader economic growth in the country.

    The Minister reaffirmed the government’s dedication to the prudent management and safeguarding of pension funds.

  • 3 Ghanaian sisters agree to marry one man

    3 Ghanaian sisters agree to marry one man

    Ghanaian triplets, aged 26, have expressed their collective desire to marry the same man.

     The sisters, made their intentions known in a viral video.

    According to the triplets, their decision stems from their deep bond and shared life experiences. 

    The sisters emphasized that they are seeking a partner who can provide exceptional care and support for all three of them equally.

    “We have always been inseparable since birth, and marrying the same man is a natural extension of our unity,” We want to marry one man, we are serious. The man must be a rich one too,” the eldest said.

    While acknowledging that their proposal may challenge societal norms, the sisters remained steadfast in their belief that their collective love and unity should not hinder their pursuit of happiness.

    Watch video below:

  • Why do you like condemning Ghanaian workers? – TUC quizzes Prof Adei

    Why do you like condemning Ghanaian workers? – TUC quizzes Prof Adei

    The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has rebuked prominent economist, Prof Stephen Adei for his assertion that Togolese workers exhibit higher productivity levels than their Ghanaian counterparts.

    Director of the Labour Research and Policy Institute at TUC, Dr. Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, has criticized Prof Adei, accusing him of harboring a deep-seated disdain for Ghanaian workers.

    “He has a morbid hatred for Ghanaian workers and unions. His claim to fame in Ghana is what he did at GIMPA. He didn’t do those things with Togolese workers.

    “There were drivers and security people he worked with when he was there. And the least thing these people expect from him is this kind of comment. Can any government or any employer come and tell us what they have been doing about productivity? Except to perpetually complain that the Ghanaian worker is unproductive without evidence?” he said in an interview on Accra-based Citi TV.

    Prof Adei, former Rector of GIMPA, recently asserted that his research indicated Togolese workers exhibit superior work quality compared to Ghanaians, leading employers to favor them due to their perceived higher productivity.

    However, Dr. Otoo contested this assertion, questioning whether Prof Adei would opt for medical treatment in Togo or Ghana if faced with a health challenge.

    He further suggested that Prof Adei could have conveyed his message more constructively, acknowledging that while there are challenges regarding work attitudes in Ghana, efforts are being made to address them.

    He also queried Prof Adei’s basis for claiming that Ghanaian workers lack productivity, highlighting the absence of research documents by Prof Adei supporting his contentions, and suggested that his criticism should be more substantiated.

    “Prof. Adei said Ghanaian workers are lazy, and less productive, if he happens to have a medical condition that requires medical surgery will he go to Togo or Korle Bu?

    “Since the Togolese workers including the medical doctors are more productive than the Ghanaian ones,” he stated.

    Dr Otoo said Prof Adei could have sent his message across in a better way, as the former admitted the attitude of some Ghanaians towards work is questionable.

    “We recognise there’s a challenge about attitudes to work, we are doing something about it. If you want to help, this is not the way a professor should go. There’s a way that professors can help us address some of the challenges. But they should find a nicer way, collaborative way of saying it.

    “When you google Prof Adei, you will not find a single research document he has put there, it’s all about condemnations and castigations of Ghanaian workers. What is the basis to say that a Ghanaian worker is not productive?” Dr Otoo queried.

  • Australian-Ghanaian Sisters denied enrollment due to braided hair

    A complaint has been made to Australia’s Human Rights Commission by the mother of two Black girls who were “unenrolled” from their school after a disagreement over their African hair. The mother claims that her daughters’ enrollments were canceled because of their race.

    According to ABC News, Amayah and Safhira Rowe missed a week of class in July after learning from their administrator that they couldn’t go to Highview College with their hair undone. The sisters’ hair is braided, and their father is Ghanaian. They claimed it hurts to tie their hair behind their heads.

    The sisters later returned to school with “some-up, some-down” hairstyles without encountering any problems, but on September 13 things took a turn for the worst.

    Then the media came in the wake of their story being extensively reported by the media.

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    Rebecca Rowe, who is the mother of the girls, said the school’s principal sent her a letter notifying her about her daughters’ “unenrollment” from Highview. She said she received the letter after Amayah had a conversation about the issue with the principal and staff. The discussion, which lasted over an hour and took place in the school office, was done without the presence of the girls’ mother or another adult. The school had also banned Rowe from entering its premises because of the uniform policy dispute.

    In the letter, the school claimed that Amayah had aggressive behavior and continued to wear jewelry that wasn’t allowed by the school. The letter also claimed that Safhira had absented herself from class.

    Responding to their “unenrollment” in a statement, Principal Melinda Scash said “their behaviour on Tuesday afternoon was unacceptable. They were unenrolled from Highview that afternoon”.

    But Rowe, in her complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission, alleged that her daughters weren’t treated fairly and they were “unenrolled” because of the color of their skin, ABC News reported. The school and the family will meet the commission for mediation in October.

    Scash also told the news outlet that the girls were “unenrolled” from the school because they had received news that the two had gained admission into another school. But Rowe said that wasn’t the case, and their “unenrollment” was more like a dismissal.

    And though Safhira gained admission into another school, Rowe said Amayah hadn’t. She explained that Amayah being enrolled at a different school was dependent on her passing Highview’s end-of-year exams. Amayah is also in her VCE  [high school completion certificate] year.

    “We will have to try to get her in anywhere that will take her and hope for the best. That will reflect poorly on her results I imagine,” Rowe said.

    Amaya also disputed Scash’s claims that she was aggressive. “I don’t appreciate her repeatedly calling me aggressive which is a well-perpetuated black female stereotype which has been put on all women of colour,” she said.

    “I don’t appreciate her … disregard for my personal or mental wellbeing, or my education. She is an educator.”

    The girls’ mother said she believes her daughters were singled out by the school because of their decision to publicly talk about the uniform policy disagreement, ABC News reported.

    “They have never had complaints about anything behaviour wise, have really high academic goals and have always been reported as a pleasure to have in classrooms,” Rowe said.

    “They are great kids. If I was running a school, these are the kids I would want there, not to get rid of them.

    “They want to be there and continue their education.”