By: Michael Ahinsah
️️️The Convener for Pensioners Bondholders forum, Dr. Adu Anane Antwi says the pensioners bondholders forum is prepared to give government some time to pay their coupons and principals.
The Finance Ministry announced in a press release that payment of coupon and Principals in respect to the Domestic Debt exchange programme will commence on 13th March, 2023 following the demand of immediate payment of coupons and principals which matured on 6th and 20th February by three bondholder groups.
According to him, the three bondholder groups engaged in a conversation with the government to find out what accounted for the delay.
He added that the Minister of Finance assured the groups that the payments will be made.
“We went there as a coalition to find out what was happening and we were able to meet with the minister just after 2 O’clock and he assured us. He said they were doing some reconciliation and we said well on the 21st we were expecting it and if it wasn’t coming, the minister should have issued a statement so that you calm the market and investors”, he said.
Speaking on GBC’s Uniiq Breakfast Drive, Dr. Adu Anane Antwi explained that their decision to grant the government some space to make the payment is due to the economic situation within the country.
“Two weeks is not too long time and we consider the economic situation that the country finds itself in now so this will give government some space to organise itself and do the payment”.
Touching on the effects of the delay in payments on the bondholders, he said, “some of our members are using this thing for their medication and other expenses so definitely they may have gone to their colleagues to be able to pay for their drugs whiles waiting the receipt of these coupons and return those monies to friends and members who have helped them so definitely there will be some problems there. Once you have targeted your expenses in line with these coupons, any delay affects your ability to procure your drugs” Dr. Adu Anane Antwi said.
