Aspiring flagbearer of the NPP, Ing. Francis Addae-Nimoh, has advised Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta that transparency is key to winning the hearts of Ghanaians as the country continues to grapple with a debt crisis.
In an interview with Don Kwabena Prah on Happy 98.9 FM’s “Epa Hoa Daben” socio-political talk show, the former Member of Parliament called on Ken Ofori-Atta, to provide data to support the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), which requires pensioners and other bondholders to contribute to resolving Ghana’s debt crisis.
Ing. Addae-Nimoh urged the Finance Minister to compare the number of pensioners who have government bonds and the quantum of their investment with the investments of other financial institutions, such as banks and insurance companies.
“At the beginning, my position on the issue was for the Finance Minister to provide the number of pensioners who have government bonds. Then the quantum of their investment. It was later that I realized the investment was around 2.2b. So compare that figure with the others, the banks, the insurance companies, and others. Then ask what the effect will be if the pensioners are exempted or added. “For me, it was just simple,” he said.
However, Ing. Addae-Nimoh stressed the importance of transparency in the decision-making process, saying that the Finance Minister needs to provide the public with the necessary information so they can make informed decisions and trust
Ing. Addae-Nimoh believes that if the Finance Minister can provide the public with the necessary information, Ghanaians will be more willing to support efforts to address the country’s debt crisis. Ultimately, transparency will be key to winning the hearts of Ghanaians, according to the aspiring flagbearer of the NPP.
“When he said we needed to help him for him to help us, that was a good statement. But then submit the spare sheets with the figures, bring them to the public so that we can understand why pensioners are in there, and with that, we can determine where the effects are insignificant or not. “Without it, they can’t trust you,” he said.
“They have been exempted, and it’s refreshing to know, but we shouldn’t have dragged this issue to where we go.” The figures should have been provided so we know how much the financial institutions and their investments in government bonds total. So, if we decide to exempt pensioners and the consequences are minimal and we can still manage the debt situation, why not exempt them? “”Since they’ve been exempted, I’d commend them for standing their ground and expressing their displeasure,” he added.
