Debt Exchange: Consensus building, broader consultation critical - Peter Quartey | 3News.com

The Director of the Institute of Statistical, Social and and Economic Research (ISSER) of the University of Ghana, Professor Peter Quartey has said that there was the need for a broader consultation on the Debt Exchange programme that was launched by the .

He said that consensus building was needed because the progamme seeks to touch the funds of the people.

There needed to be agreement on the terms and conditions for the proposal, he said.

Speaking on the Ghana Tonight show with Alfred Ocansey on TV3 Monday December 5, he said “I think in all of these there is the need for consultation or consensus building.

It is very critical because you are going to touch people’s funds and certainly, they have to agree to the terms or whatever you want to propose.

“I know that there has been some initial consultations but I don’t think that has been wide enough, that has been deepened enough and therefore, going forward, I think government should consult labour, consult pension fund holders, etc so that there is some consensus building in this because we are in this together, without consultations you cannot move forward.

“We cannot also signed onto an IMF programme if we do not agree to a debt restructuring exercise.”

His come at a time some stakeholders have rejected the programme.

The Chamber of Corporate Trustees has rejected the Debt Exchange programme that was launched by the  on Monday December 5.

In their view, the government’s prodigals are “inferior to market expectations and will destroy the savings of Ghanaians and further undermine market confidence”.

“This is why we reject it outright.

We indulge contributors to pension funds and actors in the pensions industry to remain calm as we seek the best outcome in our negotiations with the Ministry of Finance,” the Chamber said in a statement on Tuesday December 6.

The Finance Minister explained during the launch of the programme that the objective is to alleviate the debt burden in a most transparent, efficient, and expedited manner.

In this context, by means of an Exchange offer, he said the Government of Ghana has been working hard to minimize the impact of the domestic debt exchange on investors holding government bonds.

“In particular, it does not embed any principal haircut on Eligible Bonds, as we promised.

Let me repeat this fact as plainly as I can, in this debt exchange individual holders of domestic bonds are not affected and will not lose the face value of their investments.

Individuals who hold bonds will also not be affected at all.

“Our domestic debt operation involves an exchange for new Ghana bonds with a coupon that steps up to 10% as soon as 2025 (with a first interest payment in 2024) and longer average maturity.

Existing domestic bonds as of 1st December 2022 will be exchanged for a set of four new bonds maturing in 2027, 2029, 2032 and 2037.”

He further stated that “Predetermined allocation ratio are as follows: 17% for the short bonds, 17% for the intermediate bond, 25% for the medium-term bond and 41% for the long-term bond.

For emphasis, this domestic debt exchange programme will not affect individual bondholders.

“This domestic debt exchange is part of a more comprehensive agenda to restore debt and financial sustainability.