Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta says his outfit has written to the Pensioners Bondholders Forum about their exemption from the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).

This comes in the wake of intense protest at the forecourt of the Ministry over the past week over what some senior citizens believe will cripple their finances.

In a release, the ministry indicated that participating in the debt restructuring was voluntary, therefore, pensioners could decide whether to participate or not.

However, the aggrieved pensioners insist that Minister must make it formal and include that their bonds are exempted from the debt restructuring.

Speaking in Parliament today, Mr Ofori-Atta insists that after Wednesday’s engagement with pensioners during the picketing, he communicated their exclusion in writing to the convenor.

“I subsequently wrote to their convenor letting him know that all pensioners who did not participate in the bond offering are exempted,” he told the House today.He expressed hope that this move allays the fears of the pensioners.

Meanwhile, Myjoyonline.com’s checks with the convenor, Dr Adu Anane Antwi, reveal that he is yet to receive any letter to that effect from the Minister.

The deadline for the DDEP has elapsed with the Ministry confirming about 85% participation.Source: Kenneth Awotwe Darko