Pensioner bondholders stormed Parliament today, awaiting Ken-Ofori Atta’s address.
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For the past two weeks members of the pensioner bondholder forum have been picketing at the finance ministry demanding that the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta writes to them expressly declaring their exemption from the Domestic Debt Exchange Program.
The government on Monday announced that it achieved over 80% participation of eligible bonds in the Domestic Exchange program.
It assured individual bondholders and pensioners who did not sign up to the program that their coupons will be honored when they mature.
But despite the assurances, the Lead Convener of the Pensioner Bondholder Forum, Dr. Adu Antwi in an interview insisted that the only move that will stop their continuous picketing at the Finance Ministry is the Finance Minister writing to them to expressly exempt them as was done in the case of pension funds.
The pensioners vowed to continue picketing at the finance ministry until they are totally exempted from the Domestic Debt Exchange Program (DDEP).
After the finance minister’s meeting with the pensioner’s yesterday at the picketing grounds. He promised them to have a conversation with the president to know what stand to take on their bonds.
Leader of the of the pensioner’s bondholders forum speaking to the media said,“Today we are here because we heard the minister is coming to parliament that is why we didn’t go to the ministry of finance. We came here we are going to support the minister to do what we need for us. Yesterday, having realized there is no way we are going to shift our position. He realized that there is nothing he can say for us to change our position and that the exemption if it’s not granted, we will continue to be at the ministry. He has been talking trying to convince us to let it go but he has realized that there is no way he can change our position. That is why he said he was going to discuss with the President to know the statement today. I believe the President will not say that he won’t allow him not to give us that exemption”.