Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo Joins Pensioner Bondholders To Picket At Finance Ministry
Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo, on Friday, February 10, joined pensioner bondholders to picket at the Finance Ministry.
Speaking to journalists, Madam Akuffo said, as a pensioner, she joined the others in demanding a total exemption from the Domestic Debt Exchange programme (DDEP).
She stressed that they had worked faithfully and deserved to enjoy their peaceful retirement.
The former chief justice added that most of the pensioners solely depend on their bonds, and so the move from the government will have dire consequences on their quality of life.
Holding a placard that read “We use our bond yields to pay our. . .rents, medical bills, electricity bills, and water bills”, she said, “This is unlawful; this is not right.”
She also described as wicked and insensitive the decision by the Finance Ministry to include bonds of pensioners in the programme.
Members of the Pensioner Bondholders Forum started picketing at the Ministry on Monday, February 6, to demand a total exemption of their investments from the programme.
The pensioners who have bought government bonds plan to embark on this exercise until they are exempted from the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
They lamented that the government had turned a deaf ear to the request for an exemption.
They believe the inclusion of their bonds will negatively impact their livelihoods.
The Convener of the group, Dr Adu Anane Antwi, said they would continue to picket at the Finance Ministry until demands are met.
“We are pressing home our demand for an exception. That is why we have decided to converge at the ministry from Monday. Originally, we told the police that we would converge every working day until our demands are met. But for now, we are going there for two days, and then subsequently, we see what to do, whether to continue or not, depending on the response we get from the government.”
The group, in an earlier statement, explained that attempts to have their investment exempted from the programme have not been fruitful, hence their decision to gather at the Finance Ministry until their demands are met.
“On 10 January 2023, we submitted a petition to the Minister of Finance to exempt all pensioners holding Government Bonds from the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme on the same basis used for the exemption of Pension Funds from the programme, as the impact of the programme on pensioners who are bondholders will be very severe.”