Collapsed banks: Will you raise the dead and pay them too? – Mahama to Akufo-Addo

The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Mahama, has questioned the Akufo-Addo government’s U-turn on the payment of customers of collapsed banks and other financial institutions.

Following the collapse of those financial institutions in 2018, the government insisted on issuing five-year bonds to repay a substantial part of the locked up savings of customers.

That arrangement did not go down well with Mr Mahama who promised to repay all customers of the collapsed financial institutions when elected as president in the December 7 elections.

Subsequent to Mr Mahama’s promise, the government backed down from its five-year bond repayment plan and announced its readiness to pay cash ahead of the impending elections. That is not the only time that the NPP government has made a U-turn in the run up to the elections.

The government announced a suspension of its ban on the importation of salvaged cars when Mr Mahama promised to repeal the law when elected as president in December. He says the repeal is necessary to keep mechanics, auto electricians, car body works specialists, sprayers, spare parts and car dealers employed in the local automotive industry.

Addressing separate rallies in Tuobodom, Krobo, Aworowa and Techiman, all in the Bono East Region over the weekend, Mr Mahama wondered why it took the government that long to make a decision on easing the hardship of customers of collapsed financial institutions.

He noted that many of the customers have been hit hard, while some have become bed-ridden and others have lost their lives because of the government’s refusal to pay their locked up savings.

“We said in our manifesto that we are going to fully pay these customers, then just recently government told us that they have changed their mind and will fully pay the customers. So all these while government had the financial muscle to pay these customers and they were playing sakawa game with them that they will pay them after five years. Okay, pay give them but what about those who are dead because of the agony they went through over their lockedup capital? Will the government raise them from the dead and pay them and those who are sick and bedridden?” he quizzed.

Mr Mahama was, however, not surprised about the government’s U-turn, noting that the Akufo-Addo government had always employed lies and deception as part of its governance strategy.

He said the time has come for Ghanaians to make a change by voting for the NDC on December 7, to return his party to power and help create prosperity for all, and not a privileged few.