Former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo has joined pensioners picketing the Finance Ministry to demand a total exemption of their investments in the controversial Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).

Mrs Akuffo was seen holding a placard with the inscription ‘We depend our bond yields to pay our rent, medical bills, electricity bills and water bills.’

Members of the Pensioner Bondholders Forum on Monday, February 6, began picketing the Finance Ministry to demand a total exemption of their investments from the Domestic Debt Exchange programme.

Today is the fifth consecutive time members of the forum have showed up at the Ministry.

Government has proposed a 15% coupon rate. But the group of about 50 retirees, amid singing patriotic Ghanaian, songs rejected same.

According to them, they will not accept any haircuts on their investments as their livelihoods depend on the proceeds from these investments.

Speaking to the media, one of the bondholders lamented that, “We don’t have the strength, but the little strength we have, we will use it.”

“We are only praying to God to give us the strength to come here every day to sit here for one hour. That’s why we brought our seats.

“If you can’t stand you sit down, people wanted to come with their wheelchairs, but we said no, it’s too risky, let the people who can come do that.”

The aggrieved bondholder further bemoaned the lack of communication between them and the ministry, adding that it is unfortunate for the various institutions to look on unconcerned while they suffer under the scorching sun.

“We haven’t had any communication from the Ministry of Finance. The only thing we have heard is that government has extended the period.

“The good news we also heard was from Parliament yesterday that they have summoned the Minister of Finance to explain things to them,” one of the pensioner bondholders said.

Meanwhile, the Pensioner Bondholders Forum has announced that its members would picket Parliament on Tuesday, February 14, to witness the debate between members of the House and the Finance Minister.

Source:Fiilafmonline/JoyNews