‘I don’t know John Kumah to be stupid’ – Suhuyini insists DDE comment is silly, stupid

Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini has described as stupid and silly, recent comments by colleague MP for Ejisu, John Kumah on government’s Domestic Debt Exchange programme.

Suhuyini said it was unjustifiable that Kumah will ask bondholders who are stiffly opposing portions of the DDEP not to be emotional about discussions on the matter.

He holds that the government through such comments and posturing does not do itself any good to the extent that they have created the economic mess that the country is in and must be more diplomatic with the people who are supposed to shoulder a burden they did not create.

“That I shouldn’t be emotional about that money that I have sweated to earn. Don’t tell me not to be emotional. And like I said, I don’t know John Kumah to be stupid, he is my friend, he is not stupid but the comment is silly, it’s stupid, it’s stupid.

“Don’t tell people who are about to lose their money, they are about to pay for your indebtedness,” Suhuyini charged during an in-studio interview on Accra-based Power FM (February 2).

He likened the DDEP to a person going to borrow money that they are unable to repay, so, they approach someone to help them settle the debt yet you are being bossy about the issue.

“The language you will use to get me to pay that debt is not the language that our government is using,” he said adding that posture of government wreaked “arrogance, and that for me is worrisome. It is not even what they say but what they project,” he added.

What John Kumah said:

Kumah, a deputy Finance Minister earlier this week clashed with one of the leaders of the individual bondholders forum on a radio discussion.

He accused Senyo Hosi of engaging in emotions and politics at a time the country needed none of that to get out of the current economic crisis.

“It becomes very difficult to engage in public discussions on emotional topics like the debt exchange programme. But I am particularly disappointed in my brother Senyo Hosi because we go way back and I didn’t expect this contribution from him. For him to attack me and call me dishonest and miseducating the public.

“It is very unfortunate for him to come being emotional and talking politics rather than the issues we’re discussing.

“I am a politician and I can go very political but that is not why we are here, we are trying to encourage people to understand what is going on and what is best for everybody,” he is quoted by myjoyonline.

After three extensions, the final deadline to subscribe unto the DDEP has been pegged at February 7, 2023.