Henri Claude Oyima, head of Gabon’s private bosses has indicated that the President of the republic Ali Bongo has nodded to the demand of the Federation of private companies of the central African country to take control of the struggling National Social Security Fund, CNSS.

“We were pleased with the Head of State’s announcements on the issue of social security. That is, from now on, the National Social Security Fund and the National Health Insurance Fund will be managed, as we wished, by the private sector,” Oyima told media following a meeting with the President.

“A country cannot develop without companies. The President of the Republic has confirmed this message in a solemn way. To say that Gabonese companies must now take their rightful place in the development of our economy,” he added.

In October this year, Henri Claude Oyima and the federation requested that state relinquishes the management of the CNSS, per recommendations of Inter-African Conference on Social Security (CIPRES).

“We are the ones who pay, we think that we have to manage this institution and that the State must remain in the role of regulator and controller of the action. All our employees who retire are a problem, we, companies are obliged to take care of them when they retire,” said Oyima.

The CNSS is currently controlled by the state which in February fired the board and appointed an interim ad hoc committee for 12 months.

The fund has been struggling to pay pensions of retirees from the private sector. ANAREG, the union of Gabon’s retirees, has slammed the government’s decision arguing that 10 various managers were appointed over the 13 past years but all failed to address issues dogging the fund.

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