The Executive Director of the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mensah Thompson has slammed Ghana’s finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta for what he sees as gross economic mismanagement.
According to him, the minister’s position in the government’s debt restructuring programme has affected most individuals, especially the aged.
Speaking in an interview with Okay FM, he said Ken Ofori-Atta was ineligible to lead the discussion on the debt restructuring programme because he lacked the necessary understanding of the process.
“We are talking about the life of our aged in society. The aged are part of the vulnerable group in society, and at every point in time, we must stick to protecting their interest.
“This is common sense; I don’t even believe the government sat down for us to reach that level where the aged have to picket before measures can be taken.
“ I mean how insensitive and wicked can you be, why only you (Ken Ofori-Atta) what heart do you carry, do you carry a heart of stone?
He added: “it is not the debt restructuring that’s the problem, but the process by which Ken Ofori-Atta is going about the debt restructuring is causing the problem. Now they’re failing to learn from the people who have done it and have achieved or have been successful at it.
“They don’t understand debt restructuring. Debt restructuring is a very tedious technical exercise. Speak to the IMF guys, those are sharp guys. Ken Ofori-Atta shouldn’t have even been the one leading. He should have brought technical experts who are good. You don’t get up and do things as you please.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has calmed the nerves of pensioner bondholders, insisting that the government will not shortchange their legitimate rights but will honour their coupon payments and maturing principals, like all government bondholders.
He told Parliament that the government remained committed to the well-being and dignity of the senior citizens and pensioners.
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