Senior citizens who were hosted by the Western Regional Coordinating Council at Sekondi expressed misgivings about treatment meted out to them by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
The Chairman of the Government Pensioners Association, Mr George Archer disclosed that retired staff of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority had arrears as far back as 2012 to date.
He said quite recently retired staff of the Ghana Railways Company also came out with a similar problem.
He therefore appealed to the government to come to the aid of the pensioners.
Mr Archer said some of them invested in the education of their children so if the GPHA or the Ghana Railways Company have vacancies, children of retired staff should be considered because these children have to take care of their parents who supported them but due to lack of employment they continued to be a burden to the family.
Mr Samuel Kojo Acquah who spoke on behalf of SSNIT pensioners observed that increment for people across board was not the best but those who received little pay should be given higher increment in order to feel better with their counterparts who got higher salaries.
He accused staff of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) of being insensitive to the plight of the aged anytime they visited NHIS offices to renew their policies.
A retired senior nurse, Madam Grace Lina Ama Ansah said some of them have used the little entitlement they were given to establish hospitals but complained of bad roads leading to the facilities which were not good to carry sick people on.
She appealed to government to help construct good roads to their facilities and also allow them to accept NHIS cards.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah on his part said he would follow up on arrears of retired staff because it has just come to his knowledge.
He promised to contact the offices of the Urban Roads to direct them to work on all roads leading to private health facilities in the region because these people provided employment as the private sector.
The senior citizens were provided with local meals and the Western Naval Command Band gave them some music.
Photo 3551 shows Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah (white) followed by his deputy, Eugenia Gifty Kusi exchanging pleasantries with the senior citizens.
Photos 3557 and 3558 show: Some senior citizens recollecting the good old days.
FROM PETER GBAMBILA, SEKONDI
