Ammon News - Randa Habib’s Corner

For the majority of Jordanians, the Social Security Corporation (SSC) is the most important institution in the country. It holds their money and security when they grow old.

Any attempts to tamper with the SSC’s funds will not be tolerated, and people are closely watching every move and every project related to the corporation. They want to be sure their money is in safe hands and that nobody is making shady or risky investments that would jeopardise it.

Until his last days in office, SSC Director General Omar Razzaz has managed to give confidence to Jordanians, who felt they could sleep soundly as long as he was in charge of their money. And it is no secret that the SSC management has resisted many attempts by successive governments to be involved in projects that they considered too risky.

Two years ago, the SSC bought 1,200 dunums of land in Dabouq from the government for JD600 million, to be paid over four years. The corporation has already paid around JD170 million and started infrastructure work on the land to sell it as part of a lucrative investment plan for its subscribers.

We then learned that the government wanted to get back the land in order to sell it to an investor from the Gulf and reimburse the SSC the JD170 million. The SSC’s first reaction was to ask for interest on the money over two years, and to be compensated for all the expenses of the infrastructure work.

Many at the SSC are against the government’s offer because they would like to keep this good investment opportunity for their subscribers.

Meanwhile, the government has suspended the registration of the land in the name of the SSC.

Today, all eyes are on the corporation that represents their safe deposit box.

People will hold the labour minister, who is the chairman of the SSC, its council, investment unit, and the entire government responsible for any wrongdoing.

They will never forgive any government that messes with their social insurance.

* The Jordan Times