Pensioner Bondholder Brings Mentally Challenged Dependents To Join Picketing Over Unpaid Coupons

• A perplexed pensioner bondholder has been forced to bring her mentally challenged cousins to join the protest over the government's refusal to pay their coupons
• Balbia Alan told journalists on Thursday, May 11, 2023, that she wants the whole world to know about the suffering the government's decision to hold their money unjustly has caused
• Pensioner bondholders returned to the forecourt of the Finance Ministry to picket in a bid put pressure on the government to pay outstanding coupons on matured bonds

A pensioner bondholder has been compelled by circumstances to drag two mentally challenged cousins who depend on her to join the daily picketing at the Finance Ministry over unpaid coupons.

Balbia Alan said she wants the whole world and the finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta to have a first-hand experience of the suffering he has put her family through by denying them the payment of their matured bonds.

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"We travelled over two hours to get here. Pay us our coupons now, it is very simple...give us our money," a furious-looking Balbia told journalists at the forecourt of the finance ministry on Thursday, May 11, 2023.

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Pensioner bondholders returned to the forecourt of the Finance Ministry to picket in a bid put pressure on finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta to pay outstanding coupons on matured bonds.

The government has defaulted on payments for the coupons although investments of pensioner bondholders have been exempted from the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme, and individual bondholders who did not participate in the programme.

Organising themselves into the Pensioner Bondholders Forum, they explain that that the government has failed to pay their matured coupons and principals for more than two months.

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The cost of medicines is high, we need our money

The lady said she dragged her cousins to join the hundreds of aged bondholders because they are directly affected by the government's failure to pay them their matured coupons.

Pointing to one of her mentally challenged cousins, she said:

"This lady's [medicine] alone is over 2000 cedis a month. Her lab test, her medical appointments, and her Psychiatrist to visit her in the house."

Pointing other her other cousin, Balbia added:

"This lady also has to buy a lot of [medicine] to keep fit. Is this right? Who do we go to? who is going to help us? They are been forced to get up early in the morning, drive in 'trotro' and in the heat to come here today.

Then finally turning to yet another lady standing beside her she disclosed:

"This is their carer, the lady I owe over 45,000 cedis who has been sponsoring them because the cost of living has gone high."

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We shouldn't be picketing at this age

Balbia Alan said all she and the many other aged pensioner bondholders who have been picketing every day since Monday, May 8, 2023, want is the payment of their coupons.

"We want our coupons...it is very simple, it is very easy...if you won't give us our coupons, give us our principals. We would do with it what we please. It is our money, we worked for it...very hard. We shouldn't have to come here at this age," she said.

Balbia Alan, just like others, expressed sentiments that suggest that the government's Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) that is affecting investments of aged pensioners is poorly thought-through and insensitive.

"Why? You have no heart? Are we not human beings too? Why?" she quizzed.

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Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported in a separate story that an aged Ghanaian man cried out over the government’s domestic debt programme and how it is seriously going to affect him.

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Speaking in an interview with Joy News, Peter Kojo Nyasepe said the bond coupon now remains his only source of income.

He revealed plans to picket at the bank should he be told that there is no money for him.

Source: YEN.com.gh