Business News of Sunday, 16 April 2023

Source: starrfm.com.gh

Ministry of Finance lied over payment date for outstanding debt – Bondholders

Finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta Finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta

The Pensioner Bondholders Forum has denied in the Ministry of Finance’s press release that there has been an agreement to have outstanding debt obligation paid on 28th April 2023.

According to the Forum, no such agreement was reached and the Ministry’s proposal was not accepted.

“Paragraph 2 of the Press Release contains a statement to the effect that the meeting agreed that the Joint Technical Committee constituted on 18th January 2023 reconvenes and agrees on a pathway, towards the settlement of the outstanding debt obligations by 28th April 2023.

“We wish to state that no such agreement contained in paragraph 2 of the Ministry’s Press Release was reached,” the Convener of Pensioner Bondholders Forum, Dr. Adu A. Antwi stated in a rejoinder dated April 15, 2023.

He continued: “At the meeting, the Ministry proposed that the Joint Technical Committee constituted on 18th January 2023 be given a period of four (4) weeks to work and agree on a pathway, towards the settlement of the outstanding debt obligations by the Government. The proposal from the Ministry was not accepted.”

“The Convener of the Forum stated that some pensioners were going through a lot of pains and financial hardships as a result of the delayed payments and therefore want the payments to be made by 21st April 2023, as demanded in the Forum’s letter of 30th March to the Minister,” he added.