The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has hauled Apostle Ebenezer Boahen and Pastor Samuel Awuah before a Circuit Court in Tarkwa to answer charges of non-payment of various associate pastors’ social security contributions accruing to the tune of Gh¢92,975.96 including penalties.
The criminal summons brought against these two indicates that between the period of November 2021 and March 2023, Apostle Boahen who is the Chairman of the Christian Divine Church (CDC) and the ‘Agt. General Secretary’ Pastor Sam Awuah failed to pay or honor social security contributions for several pastors operating in various capacity within the church.
Per the National Pensions Act,2008(ACT766) as amended by section 7 of the National Pensions Act (Amendment)Act, 2014(Act 883) and as quoted in the criminal summons as Statement Of Offense, it indicates that failure to make those contributions constitute an offense in the face of the laws aforementioned.
It is suspected that Apostle Boahen is intentionally refusing to pay the SSNIT contributions of these pastors as a means to punish them because they have been calling on him to retire since two years ago when he attained the constitutional retirement age of 65.
The Court has therefore commanded in the name of the Republic that both Apostle Boahen and Pastor Sam Awuah appear in person at court on the seventh day of June 2023 and likewise every adjournment of the court until the case is disposed of.
Meanwhile, Apostle Ebenezer Boahen who is the Chairman of CDC which has its headquarters at Tarkwa is faced with serious internal matters as regard his right to continue to hold himself as the Chairman of the church after he passed retirement age two years ago per the church’s own constitution.
On the other hand, Pastor Sam Awuah is also facing serious rejection by some pastors who believes the General Secretary was unconstitutionally handpicked by the Chairman.
Stay Tune…