Ms Sophia Akuffo has rejected the inclusion of pensioners in the Domestic Debt Exchange Program (DDEP).
Speaking to journalists after joining a group of pensioners to picket the Ministry of Finance in Accra on Friday February 10, he said, “These are all people who have worked, they have worked hard, they can leave the country when others leave. but they stay , they work for the nation.
“We have experienced ups and downs. Most of us are from a generation where we are encouraged to save for tomorrow and all that. We have gone through a time where all the savings became nonsense because of some government policies, then over the years, bit by bit, people have become more confident in the economy and investment.
“A lot of people here now, when they retired two years ago, they put everything in government bonds, it’s a contract and now suddenly, you almost want to force them to agree with you if they pay back the results. The investment should be as you dictate. Why? “
He further criticized the government for not being able to implement the loans it had taken over the years.
“Why are we bothering ourselves? No one fully explains, yes debt, what is it used for? and where is the responsibility? What exactly is it for? You don’t tell me how you can make it better, but it’s just ‘help me and I help you’, no, you help yourself first, let’s see you do something serious because we’ve seen this kind of thing. about too much.
“Now I am more than 70 years old, I am no longer a government employee, my mouth has been ignored and I have spoken and said that we have failed and it is important that the elderly should be respected. I find this bad, I think it is disrespectful, I think it is illegal , I feel guilty.”
The pensioners have been picketing the Ministry since Monday, February 6 to be released from the Programme.
The deadline for customers to volunteer to participate in the Program is Friday after the Ministry granted another extension from Tuesday, February 7.
Currently, the government has reached an agreement with banks, insurance companies and securities companies to join the Program, which is intended as part of the country’s debt restructuring exercise before a full credit facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The government has assured all active workers to release pension funds from the Program, but it is said to include pension funds in the revised memorandum.
Most of the pensioners said that the bonds with the government are the only source of livelihood, as they have worked to save the money.
The government which appeared indifferent to their pleas forced them to initiate action, which saw them arriving at the Ministry of Finance between 10:00 and 11:00 every day to force them to go home.
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana