Locked-up investment: I can’t marry – Menzgold customer laments

A customer of the defunct gold-trading firm, Menzgold Ghana Limited, Mr Christian Tsifoakah, has said he is unable to marry because hundreds of thousands of Ghana cedis of his investment has been locked up with the company.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Menzgod, Nana Appiah Mensah on Monday, appealed to the government to unfreeze his accounts and that of all his companies to enable him to pay his clients.

Mr Mensah, at a press conference, also pleaded with the government of Ghana to assist him to recover an amount of $39 million owed Menzgold by Horizon Royal Diamond in Dubai.

He also requested the government to unfreeze his companies’ and his personal bank accounts and assets “for us to utilise these as vehicles to get productive in order to meet our liabilities owed to our customers and some business associates in our bid to resolve our liabilities immediately.

"As of now, Brew Marketing Consult, Menzgold and I cannot credit or debit any bank account in Ghana. This is why it is highly imperative to consider this kind request, as I believe the government shares in our resolve and would do all that is needful in our quest to satisfy the populace who are our customers."

Speaking on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM on Tuesday, 20 August 2019, Mr Tsifoakah explained that the shutdown of the gold-trading company has had a huge adverse impact on his life and business.

Mr Tsifoakah told show host Benjamin Akakpo that: “I think I have been growing very slowly because if this Menzgold issue had not come, I think where I am today, I will be far far better off. There’ll be much more improvement and then I could have [expanded] my business and opened [more businesses] to involve people because the ideas that I have, all have been shattered because of Menzgold closing down and [it’s now affecting my personal income and the little I have].

“I've to stretch hard, I've to make a lot of sacrifices... because of Menzgold I can’t even marry.

“If Menzgold were around from last year till now, I think things could have been very soft for me, I could be able to take somebody’s daughter and manage her very well.”

Mr Tsifoakah also urged the authorities not to sit aloof and watch the customers of Menzgold struggle.

“The government and SEC and all those people, they shouldn’t sit and think they‘re comfortable, if you’re a leader, you don’t look at yourself alone, look at the people down there, the people that are suffering; the real economy is in Agbobloshie and co, get there and see how people are struggling to live daily.”