A leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gabby Otchere-Darko, has reacted to the presence of former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo at the picketing against the inclusion of pensioners in the debt exchange programme.
This comes after Sophia Akuffo joined a group of pensioners to picket at the Finance Ministry on Friday, February 10 against their inclusion in the debt exchange.
The former Chief Justice, who spoke to pressmen during the picketing, said, “Quite a number of people are here today, When they retired the last two years, they put everything into government bonds; it is a contract, and now all of a sudden, you want to virtually force them, at gunpoint, to agree with you that the repayment of the yield on their investment should be as you dictate it.” Why?”
After the picketing, Gabby Otchere-Darko, who seemed dissatisfied with the action of Sophia Akuffo, released a series of tweets to express his displeasure.
He claimed that although Sophia Akuffo may mean well, she erred big time in her basic appreciation of the issues.
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“As an individual bondholder myself, I wish to join the others like Senyo Hosi, Gayheart Mensah, and co., who volunteered to lead the advocacy, resulting in a far better offer for individual bondholders (particularly pensioners) than the original offer. Ayekoo!
“Whiles I have sympathies for those picketing, I think we should be bold enough to ask them what really is the purpose? Why picket over an offer which you have the liberty not to accept? You are asking to be exempted but from an improved offer programme which is voluntary!
“The former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, may mean well but she erred big time in her basic appreciation of the issues. Rather than asking the Govt for exemption at this late hour, why did she simply not ‘exempt’ herself from exchanging her original bond for the new one!
“Why picket over something you don’t like (the improved offer) when you have the right not to sign up? Sorry, but I struggle to get her emotional outburst over-exemption! I hope she won’t volunteer to picket tomorrow and on the same issues when the time to sign up has expired.
“I was among those who pleaded for the exemption of pensioners. But, the Govt had to balance all that with the need to protect the economy for the 33m population and settled on the 15% yield maturing in 5yrs instead of 15, and that the individual was FREE not to participate.
“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,” Gabby Otchere-Darko tweeted.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu
