Members of the forum have also stated that they will continue to picket at the Finance Ministry until the government addresses their concerns about exempting their investments from the domestic debt exchange programme.

Dr. Adu Anane Antwi, Convener of the Pensioners Bondholders Forum, told Citi News that the forum is eager to hear the Finance Minister’s response to Parliament on Tuesday.

“If we have the strength which we pray to God that we should always have, we will continuously be at the Ministry until that total exemption is granted. The only day we will not be there is Tuesday when the Minister is supposed to appear before Parliament. We are going to be in Parliament to see and hear for ourselves what he will tell Parliament and what the response and reaction of Parliament will be.”

Members of the Pensioner Bondholders Forum have picketed four times in a row at the Finance Ministry to demand a total exemption of their investments from the Domestic Debt Exchange programme.

Government has proposed a 15% coupon rate but the group of about 30 retirees amidst singing patriotic Ghanaian songs told Citi News that they will not accept any haircuts on their investments as their livelihoods depend on the proceeds from these investments.

One pensioner bondholder told Citi News, “the only term we understand now is a total exemption. They exempted pension funds so we the retirees will return to picket again.”