President Akufo-Addo has appointed former Education Minister Elizabeth Akua Ohene as the Chairman of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) board.

The former editor of Daily Graphic will take the mantle from Dr Kwame Addo Kufour, who served as Board Chair from 2017 to 2020.

Miss Ohene, one of the President’s speechwriters and media consultants, is expected to bring her experiences to bear in the management of SSNIT.

The inauguration

Inaugurating the 13-member SSNIT Board, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, charged the body to act in the interest of contributors by delivering a strong scheme capable of meeting the aspirations of the workforce.

He observed that under the leadership of the previous board, there was a holistic restructuring of the operations and the benefits divisions of the trust.

Mr Ofori-Atta stated that the trust prioritised the use of data analytics to drive operational excellence and decision-making, adding that “As it stands, there is a data management unit at each SSNIT branch.”

The Finance Minister revealed that as of December last, the unaudited financial report of SSNIT showed an increase in net assets from ¢8.05 billion in 2016 to ¢11.35 billion.

Also, the net contributions grew from ¢1.51 billion in 2016 to ¢4.17 billion at the end of last year.

“I believe the task for the reconstituted board is laid out clearly. Unlike the previous board, you are taking over a trust that has become increasingly transparent, with improved relationships with its stakeholders that pursue optimal investment opportunities.

“You must work together to go beyond your predecessors and align your activities with our three Cs (completion, consolidation and continuity),” Mr Ofori-Atta said.

On her part, Miss Ohene said the new trustees would make decisions in the best interest of beneficiaries of and contributors to SSNIT.

“We will stay faithful to the tenets of Act 766 and ensure that all stakeholders are involved while being aware of changing needs and aspirations, going forward,” she added.

Profile of Elizabeth Ohene

Elizabeth Akua Ohene was born on January 24, 1945, and attended Mawuli School at Ho between 1958 and 1964.

She gained admission to the University of Ghana in 1964 and graduated with B. A. (Hon) English in 1967.

Miss Ohene worked as a journalist at the Daily Graphic and in 1979 and became the first woman in Africa to edit a major national daily newspaper.

Known for her thought-provoking articles on politics and social issues, she went into exile after criticising the government of Jerry Rawlings.

The former Minister of State also attended the University of Indiana, Bloomington, in the U.S.A., where she obtained a Mass Communication Certificate.

The US State Department-sponsored her to undertake a course involving travel around the USA and has work experience from newspapers in three States in 1971.

She was a Press Fellow from January to June 1983 at Wolfson College, the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

Miss Ohene’s professional activities include being a member of the International Women Media Foundation, which actively promotes women’s competency and leadership in the media.

The foundation has established an Africa Women’s Media Centre in Dakar, Senegal, where courses are run for African women in the Media according to their needs.

To date, the Minister has been a Board member of the International Commission of Investigative Journalists, which coordinates major investigations of stories worldwide.

In addition, since 1997, she has served as a Member of the CNN Africa Journalist of the Year Competition.