Pensioners Bondholders Forum appear in Parliament for DDEP policy briefing

Accra-Ghana, Feb 16, GNA – The Pensioner Bondholders Forum Thursday made an appearance in Parliament to witness the Finance Minister’s Policy briefing to the House on the Government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
Mr Ofori-Atta’s policy briefing was based on a directive by Speaker Alban Sumana Bagbin to invite the Minister to uprise Parliament on the DDEP.
The Pensioner Bondholders Forum had earlier announced that its members would picket at Parliament on Thursday to witness the debate between the parliamentarians and the finance minister.
Members of the forum had also stated that they would continue to picket at the Finance Ministry until the Government addressed their concerns about exempting their investments from the programme.
Dr Adu Anane Antwi, the Convener of the Forum, told the Ghana News Agency that members were eager to hear the Minister’s response to the issues raised.
“If we have the strength, which we pray to God that we should always have, we will continuously picket wherever the Minister will be until that total exemption is granted,’’ he said.
“We are in Parliament to see and hear for ourselves what he will tell Parliament and what the response and reaction of Parliament will be.”
On Tuesday, the group petitioned the leadership of Parliament, after having picketed four times in a row at the Finance Ministry to demand a total exemption of their investments.
The government has proposed a 15 per cent coupon rate but the group says it would not accept any haircuts on members’ investments as their livelihoods depend on the proceeds.
A pensioner who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “The only term we understand now is a total exemption. They exempted pension funds so we, the retirees, will continue to picket.”