DDEP: We will abandon hospitals if you touch our pension funds – GMA warns

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has threatened it will abandon the hospitals if the government touches their pension funds for the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).

Speaking on Starr Today with Joshua Kodjo Mensah, the General Secretary of GMA, Dr. Titus Beyuo said that the government dares not touch their independent pension funds adding any move by the government on their fund will be a complete betrayal of trust and action in bad faith.

“If you touch people’s pensions they are not going to sit down. Already you are underpaying us and what we are saving towards pension the same threat that existed before for which reason the government backed down on pension funds is the same that prevails.

“We have told the government what will happen if they touch our pension funds and we will desert the hospitals. We will go on a total strike and that is what we have decided to do. We have given out a letter and everything that we will do is the same principle that will apply here,” Mr. Beyuo stated.

He continued: “It was the same thing the government sought to avoid that they will not touch pension funds. So if they are now going to touch some pension funds under the pretext that they are not regulated by the MPRA, when the government is aware that prior to the establishment of MPRA organizations like the GMA, the Universities and other organizations set up independent pension funds to help their members.”

Meanwhile, Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson has assured Pensioner Bondholders and others that parliament will move swiftly to address the burning issues related to the ongoing domestic debt exchange program.

Pensioner Bondholders’ meeting with Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta on Friday, February 10, 2023 ended inconclusively as the government insists the retirees should consider voluntary exemption.

In a tweet, the leader of the opposition frontbench said the Finance Minister is billed to appear before the House by next to deal with the concerns of investors in the debt restructuring programme.

“It is disheartening to see our dear pensioners including a former Chief Justice picketing at the MOF over the domestic debt restructuring. I wish to assure her & the rest, parliament is dragging the Finance Minister before us next week and we will represent their interest fully!” a tweet by Ato Forson said.