The convener of the Pensioner Bondholders Forum says government should borrow from the treasury bills market to pay pensioner bondholders their coupons.
Dr Adu Anane Antwi has noted that the forum will resume picketing at the premises of the Finance Ministry as a result of the extended non-payment of their coupons and principals.
According to him, their action is informed by the hardship members of the forum have had to endure for a prolonged duration.
He said many could barely afford the cost of medications due to financial constraints adding that “the situation has become a matter of life and death.”
Dr Antwi said in a case in which the Finance Ministry simply does not have the money to pay them, it should borrow from the treasury bills market.
“I have said that government can borrow from the treasury bills market and pay us because government is borrowing from the same treasury bill to pay people who are holding the treasury bills when it matures.
“This is life and death and you’ll recall that the president once said he can’t bring the dead back but he can bring the economy back.
“If they don’t pensioners they’ll die because they cannot pay for their medication and you can’t bring them back,” he said on the JoyNews’ AM Show on Monday.
Further, Dr Antwi expressed that even if government incurred more debt by borrowing from the treasury bills market, it can always pay back but cannot bring pensioners back should they die as a result of the non-payment of their coupons.
He said the forum would continue to picket at the Finance Ministry no matter how long it takes to draw the attention of the government.
Last year, the government embarked on a domestic debt restructuring exercise, a prerequisite exercise to reach a staff-level agreement in its bailout request to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Funds of various associations including those of the Individual Bondholders and Pensioners Bondholders despite strong opposition were used for the success of the programme.
To cool tempers, government in negotiations with bondholders promised a set time to pay back their loans.
Given that it has defaulted, tempers are beginning to rise as the economic hardship also seems to worsen periodically.
Meanwhile, on the back of this development, the government has been advised by both individuals and local and foreign institutions to cut down on its borrowing spree.
The Pensioner Bondholders do not mind government engaging in another borrowing exercise as they note that their health situations are at stake.
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