DDEP: We don’t need to justify how to spend our own money – Pensioner to government

A retired pension bondholder, Kokuvi Adzo Adu, is demanding that government excludes individual pension bondholders from the ongoing Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).

According to the retired financial expect, government did not question them when they were buying bonds, as such, pensioners do not need to justify why their monies due them should be paid.

The agitated retiree while sharing her ordeal on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show described government’s decision to include the aged in the programme as unfair.

Madam Adzo Adu said many pensioners have dire needs, thus, should be exempted.

“People have different needs as they grow up. Some, is for medical reasons and for some, they are fighting for this money just to spend it on family members.

“If they are blessed to have good health, they are taking this money to help family members,” she said on Monday.

For a retired Medical Doctor, Dr. Samuel Quaye needs his money to undergo dialysis due to his failing health.

Buying bonds has become my life’s biggest regret – Pensioner narrates ordeal

Looking back, the retired Medical Doctor regrets buying bonds. Although he knows that he could not have kept the huge sum of money in his home, Dr Quaye now wishes he had saved his money outside the country.

“I made a big mistake buying bonds. I am regretting it. I know I had no alternative then because for such an amount I couldn’t keep it in my house that it why I invested it.

“We are in a world where you cannot save your money at home. But now, I think I should have invested my money outside the country,” he said.

Numerous individual pension bondholders have been affected by government’s ongoing debt exchange programme.

Unhappy by the situation, these retirees have been picketing the Finance Ministry to drum home their displeasure.

Many of them are worried that their source of income will be curtailed by the programme, thus, intensifying their economic woes.

Although government has announced that it has reached the 80 per cent threshold, the pensioners have vowed to continue the picketing until government exempts them completely.

Source: myJoy