Debt Exchange Programme approach could affect government securities – Sophia Akuffo
Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo says the back and forth in the restructuring of debts under the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP could go a long way to affect the goodwill of government securities.
This, she said, was due to the invariable loss on investment on bonds for unexempted persons under the DDEP, including pensioners.
She made the remarks when she, for the second time, joined pensioner bondholders to picket the premises of the Ministry of Finance, demanding for total exemption of pensioners under the Programme.
Following backlash from some persons close to government, questioning her motive for joining the picketing at the final hour of signing up to the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) last Friday, she said she would not descend into the gutter with persons who attacked her personality.
Until recently, she said the guarantee on investment in government securities had been in doubt due to the country’s long political history of instability which often translated into people losing investments anytime there was political turmoil.
“My problem with this whole thing is the destruction of the image of this nation. It took a long time for normal Ghanaians to buy anything which is government because there was always the suspicion that tomorrow you don’t know what will happen,” she said.
She said her reasons for joining the protest which started February 7, was on humanitarian basis for people who have served the country well.
“Sticks and stones may break my bones…Bla-Bla will not hurt me. And insult is the weapon of the pin brained. I am not going to trade a word with pin brains,” she said.
Among her fiercest critic was Mr Gabby Otchere-Darko, founder and former Executive Director of the Danquah Institute, who on his social media handle said even though the former Chief Justice might mean well, she had erred “big time” in her basic appreciation of the issues.
“For a former CJ to take up a noble cause such as she did but at such late hour when all was done and for all that publicity, she owed it to herself and her social standing to have understood the issues far better than what she exhibited last Friday. She is bigger than that,” he said.
Madam Akuffo made headlines last Friday when she surprisingly turned up for the protest, calling the decision of the Government to include pensioners in the programme as wrong, disrespectful and unlawful especially when government had no special intervention for the aged in the country.
Her appearance had inspired other welling meaning Ghanaians including Dr Charles Fordjour, a Pharmacist to Picket with pensioners.
Source: GNA