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The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has disclosed that the presence of pensioner bondholders at the premises of his ministry over a two-week period caused him a great deal of distress.

Addressing parliament on Thursday, February 16, 2023, the minister reiterated that government will honour the terms of bonds held by pensioners as it remains committed to the wellbeing and dignity of senior citizens.

“Mr Speaker, government remains committed to the wellbeing and dignity of our senior citizens and pensioners. Indeed Mr Speaker, it has personally caused me great distress as a number of our pensioners have picketed at the premises of the ministry of finance since Monday, February 6, 2023. I have already stated in my press release dated February 14, 2023, that government will honour their coupon payments and all maturing bonds in line with government’s fiscal commitments,” the minister told parliament.

The Pensioner Bondholders Forum have been picketing at the ministry demanding total exemption from the government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme.

The picketing witnessed the participation of former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo who described the programme as unlawful and disrespectful to senior citizens.

But speaking to parliament on Thursday, the minister disclosed that pensioners who did not participate in the programme have been exempted by government.

“In seeking to understand the concerns of our senior citizens, I have met with them on three occasions; the most recent was 15 February 2023 where I explained the terms of the new bonds.

“Mr Speaker, I subsequently wrote to their convener that all pensioners who did not participate in the bond offering are exempted,” Ofori-Atta added.

The DDEP officially closed on February 10, 2023. According to the ministry of finance, over 80% of individual and institutional bondholders participated in the exercise.