A document available to Politico and authenticated by senior officials of the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT), who prefer anonymity, shows that Government institutions and Parastatals owe the social security scheme over Le 16 Billion.
“If you think that amount is too much,” one of them said grim-facedly, “wait until you see what private employers owe us”. (See Politico next week for detail on private employers and what they owe their staff).
The institutions are said to be defaulting on payment of the social contribution of their employees despite 5% being slashed off their salaries.
One of the charges against the suspended Mayor of Freetown, Herbert George Williams is in connection with just that.
Sources at NASSIT told Politico that it was common practice for institutions to provide returns to the Accountant General’s office indicating they had paid the social security contributions of their workers when, in fact such payment was not made
Guma Valley Water Company and the National Commission for Social Action (NACSA), according to the document, are the biggest defaulters, followed by the Freetown City Council and the Accountant General’s Department.
When contacted for his comment on why this is, the Finance Director of NACSA, Kevin Dixon, would not talk to Politico saying he was busy.
Accountant General, Kebbe Kouroma also declined to comment beyond saying that the agreement for payment of staff contribution existed between the NASSIT and government and not with his department. He would not elaborate. He also said that his staff strength was too small to owe NASSIT over Le 1 billion an amount that excludes penalty and interest.
Among other institutions we contacted for their comment was the Independent Media Commission who, the document says, owe NASSIT over Le 52 million. However IMC accountant, Terrence Knox-Goba told Politico that his institution was up-to-date with the social security scheme. “We are awaiting receipts for the first quarter of 2012 from NASSIT,” he said.
See pictures of list of government institutions that are heavily-indebted to NASSIT.
List 1
