The Pensioner Bondholders Forum says its members will be in Parliament today February 16, 2023, to witness the engagement between members of the house and the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta. 

The Pensioners have been picketing over the last weeks demanding a total exemption from the government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme.

The forum has also stated that it will continue to picket at the Finance Ministry until the government heeds to their demand by officially communicating to them that their investments have been exempted from the DDEP. 

Speaking to Citi News, Convener for the Pensioners Bondholders, Dr. Adu Anane Antwi said the forum is optimistic that government will do the needful. 

“Yeah we are going to Parliament, but it’s still being considered. I have been hopeful from day one, and we will be hopeful until it comes [exemption]. I didn’t start this if I didn’t know it can work, we just want the exemption, using the word you have been exempted, so that is what the Finance Minister [Ken Ofori-Atta] is going to work on now with higher authority,” Convener for the Pensioner Bondholders said.

The Finance Minister described as unnecessary the continuous picketing by the group when he addressed them on February 15, 2023.

“Really, there is no reason for us to be sitting here because that assurance has been given on paper. I want to know what it is that you are afraid of or that you think will not happen. My issue is that now you have very little of the old bonds existing. This means that, in the event of a crisis, your ability to trade your papers is diminished. But that is the choice you made,” Mr Ofori-Atta said.

Chaos erupted as Mr. Ofori-Atta was addressing the pensioner bondholders who picketed at the premises on February 15, 2023.

His engagement was interrupted by Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a convener for pressure group #FixTheCountry who had come to lend support to the picketers accusing the Minister of untrustworthiness.