2019 Budget: Finance Minister lied - DKM victims

Aggrieved customers of DKM, have attacked the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori- Atta, for stating that about 80% of the victims of the scam companies have received their deposits.

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, delivering the 2019 budget statement in Parliament Thursday, said the official liquidator received 99,858 claims and the validated claims amounted to GH¢502 million.

“I would like to inform the country that out of the 99,858 claims, 79,708 (80 percent) have been settled and depositors have been paid,” Mr. Ofori Atta stated.

The Finance Minister revealed that the government has set aside funds at the Bank of Ghana to pay the remaining 20 percent of depositors upon validation.

“An additional 12,612 claims have been fully provided for, but the customers have not as yet been able to show proof of deposit.

However, the Chairman of the affected Customers of the scam Companies, James Agyapong, speaking to Ekourba Gyasi on Atinka FM’s AM Drive Friday, expressed disappointment in the Finance Minister and Government over the payment claims and dared him to provide the list of the affected customers whom the monies were paid to.

According to him, if the Government fails to provide the list, they will have no option than to stage a demonstration to ensure that they have not received their locked up investment.

Mr. James Agyepong, who claimed his GHS 600,000 (Six hundred thousand Cedis) investment is locked up with the defunct DKM accused Government of being in bed with the Directors of the scam companies due to its inability to prosecute them almost two years after their arrest.

Mr.Agyepong also expressed disappointment in the Finance Minister for only mentioning DKM customers when there are some companies like Justa Motors, God is love, Little Drops, Perfect Edge, Sharp Sharp etc. who also duped their unsuspecting customers.

The DKM Diamond Microfinance Limited was alleged to have invested about GH¢77 million of its customers’ deposits in its subsidiary companies – DKM Airlines Company, DKM Fuel Station, DKM Transport, DKM Shea Butter Company, and DKM Mining Company, among others.

It had its license revoked in February 2016 with considerable suffering imposed on depositors.

The previous NDC administration took steps to bring a breather to customers and the Akufo-Addo government has taken steps to settle almost all claims of DKM customers.