TOP STORY: Employees protected from CSR, RAMA merger

The current system provides for a payment of 8 percent contributions into SSFR for the provision of retirement and occupational risks and as much as 15 percent into RAMA for medical care Employees of the Social Security Fund of Rwanda (SSFR) and the Rwanda medical insurance known by its French acronym RAMA should not be worried of losing their jobs, after cabinet ordered the merger of the two bodies to form the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB). This was said by Henry Gaperi, the Director General of the Social security fund of Rwanda in an interview with The New Times at his office. SSF is also known by it sFrench name Caisse Sociale du Rwanda (CSR). Gaperi said that there will be a new structure to take the functions of the RSSB. “I am confident that the human skills we have from the two organizations will be required in the new structure’, said Gaperi. He was quick to add however that it was the staff to fit in the new structure and not the opposite. A source said that cabinet gave an ultmatum of up to February for the full merger of the two insitutions. Gaperi is known for spear heading the 2006 restructuring at CSR, a move that has positioned CSR as one of the leading financial institutions in the country. He said that the current system provides for a payment of 8 percent contribution into SSFR for the provision of retirement and occupational risks and as much as 15 per cent into RAMA for medical care. This does not hinder SSFR to deal with health care issues. But it is not yet clear how many workers the social security board would require, however a source familiar with the dossier at the Ministry of Finance (both bodies are under MINICOFIN) said that about 400 workers will be needed. CSR today has about 350 employees. It was not possible to identify how many workers RAMA has. But it is known that RAMA has a substantial number of field staff. CSR officials told the New Times that the new structure is expected to have a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and several deputies. The merger of CSR and RAMA was announced on Wednesday last week after a cabinet meeting chaired by the President Paul Kagame. It is understood that it would facilitate contributors, who will now be dealing with one party as a result ensuring better service delivery. This was confirmed by Kayonga Ruti, CSR’s Communications Manager who said that the merger will greatly help members from both sister institutions. Ends

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TOP STORY: Employees protected from CSR, RAMA merger