DDEP Saga: We Sincerely Apologise….We Acknowledge Your Ultimate Sacrifice – NAPO To Pensioners | Politics

The running mate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mathew Opoku Prempah, has on behalf of the ruling party, apologised to pensioner bondholders for the unpleasant experience they underwent at the height of the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).

He described their situation as ‘unfortunate’, but something that they had to go through for the economy to survive, adding that these “bondholders rescued Ghana in our times of stress”. 

“On behalf of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the NPP, we sincerely apologise to the DDEP. The pains and hardships they have gone through over the period, they should see it as an ultimate sacrifice for Ghana.” Dr Mathew Opoku Prempah said in a one-on-one interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM‘s flagship morning show, ‘Kokrokoo‘.

Adding that; “We have to beg them, people experienced some very unpleasant moments under the DDEP and we have to apologise to them.” 

The pensioner bondholders, sometime ago, picketed at the Finance Ministry, demanding that the government exclude them from the domestic debt swap.

As part of government’s debt restructuring programme, some Ghanaian bondholders had to risk their investments as the former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, sacrificed them for Ghana’s economic recovery.

This resulted in a series of protests which included a former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, warning the government not to touch their investments.

After reviewing the programme, pensioners were excluded but other bondholders had to forfeit their hard earnings.

Dr Mathew Opoku Prempa, however, gave the assurance that the pensioner bondholders will receive their money as promised.