The Commission on Administrative Justice (Office of the Ombudsman) has directed the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) to publish its annual reports and audited financial statements in line with constitutional requirements.
In a letter addressed to the NSSF Chief Executive Officer, Access to Information Commissioner Dorothy Jemator gave the Fund 21 days to respond, outlining steps taken to comply with the directive.
The order follows a complaint from an anonymous whistleblower who alleged that NSSF had failed to publish or update its audited financial statements on its website. Subsequent investigations by the Office of the Ombudsman confirmed the claim, revealing that the NSSF was in violation of Article 35(1)(a) of the Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to access information held by the state.
In addition, the Commission noted that Article 35(3) mandates public institutions to proactively publish and publicize important information that affects the public.
“This is therefore to request you to respond to this letter within 21 days, indicating the corrective measures your office has put in place to proactively disclose and regularly update the NSSF Annual Report and audited financial statements, thereby upholding constitutional rights and legal obligations,” the letter stated.
