A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gabby Otchere-Darko, has criticised the former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo for joining her colleague pensioners to picket the Finance Ministry on Friday.
The cousin of President Akufo-Addo, in a series of tweets on Sunday, said the former Chief Justice should have taken the time to understand issues pertaining to the ongoing Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DEEP) before choosing the side of the pensioners.
(6) For a former CJ to take up a noble cause such as she did but at such late hour when all was done and for all that publicity, she owed it to herself and her social standing to have understood the issues far better than what she exhibited last Friday. She is bigger than that.
— Gabby Otchere-Darko (@GabbyDarko) February 12, 2023
According to Mr Otchere-Darko, government has reviewed its first position and settled on a 15% yield maturing in five years instead of the initial 15 years, and making it voluntary for individual bondholders to participate.
(5) I was among those who pleaded for the exemption of pensioners. But, the Govt had to balance all that with the need to protect the economy for the 33m population and settled on the 15% yield maturing in 5yrs instead of 15, and that the individual was FREE not to participate.
— Gabby Otchere-Darko (@GabbyDarko) February 12, 2023
“For a former CJ to take up a noble cause such as she did but at such late hour when all was done and for all that publicity, she owed it to herself and her social standing to have understood the issues far better than what she exhibited last Friday. She is bigger than that,” Mr Otchere-Darko tweeted.
(4) Why picket over something you don't like (the improved offer) when you have the right not to sign up? Sorry, but I struggle to get her emotional outburst over exemption! I hope she won't volunteer to picket tomorrow and on the same issues when the time to sign up has expired.
— Gabby Otchere-Darko (@GabbyDarko) February 12, 2023
Madam Sophia Akuffo on Friday described government’s decision to include pensioners in the DDEP as wicked, disrespectful, and unlawful when she spoke to JoyNews while picketing.
She noted that the government had breached a contractual agreement and could be sued.
But Mr Otchere-Darko was of the view that Madam Akuffo erred “big time in her basic appreciation of the issues”
“Why picket over something you don’t like (the improved offer) when you have the right not to sign up? Sorry, but I struggle to get her emotional outburst over-exemption!
“I hope she won’t volunteer to picket tomorrow and on the same issues when the time to sign up has expired,” he wrote.
