Thousands of aggrieved customers of defunct DKM microfinance in the upper east region have cried out to government for being adamant towards their locked up monies.
The aggrieved customers registered their displeasure on August 24, 2016 at a press conference organized by leaders of the disgruntled DKM customers in the region.
The aggrieved customers questioned the President’s adamant posture towards their plight over the period after assuring the Omanhene of Ntoroso Traditional Area and customers that their deposit will be paid back to them by Bank of Ghana (BoG).
The aggrieved customers mentioned that in April 2016, the Registrar General Department was mandated to commence official liquidation process but although customers have submitted the necessary documents, nothing has been done to help get their funds back.
“We don’t hear from them, let alone receive our monies” they lamented.
The customers pleaded with government to help them get their principal deposits, because they are going through difficult times and most of them have lost their businesses, unable to send their children to school, marriages are dissolving every now and then, people continue to commit suicide and some others continue to die through frustration.
About 6000 customers in the upper east region were affected and close to Twenty five million Ghana Cedis (GHC 25 million) from the innocent citizens of the region are locked up at DKM.
The aggrieved customers have called on President John Dramani Mahama to act fast in making the aggrieved customers receive their principal deposits as he earlier promised before they advise themselves.
Below is the full statement:
PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE AGGRIEVED CUSTOMERS OF DKM MICROFINANCE COMPANY IN THE UPPER EAST REGION DATED WEDNESDAY 24TH AUGUST 2016:
ON
PAYMENT OF DKM INVESTMENTS – WHAT IS THE WAY FORWARD, MR PRESIDENT, WE ARE DYING!
The media, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good morning.
We the Aggrieved DKM Customers in the Upper East Region have called you here today, to use you as the media to get to the President of the Republic of Ghana, on the payment of our Monies. Mr. President, we have still not received our monies, despite the several promises you made to us:
We remember vividly on the 29th June, 2015, when you promised the Omanhene of Ntotroso Traditional Area, that you will ensure that our deposits are paid back to us by the Bank of Ghana (BoG). This was when Mr President addressed a durbar of Chiefs and people in Asutifi North District, at the Brong Ahafo Region. Mr. President, it is over a year now, and our deposits have still not been paid. What happened to your directives?
Mr. President, you openly criticized the BoG’s handling of the DKM issue, it comforted us that you were ready to save us from becoming worse off. Subsequently, the Registrar General Department was mandated to commence Official Liquidation process. The Liquidator requested that we submit proof of indebtedness to DKM within a stipulated time, after collecting our deposit slip, the Liquidator has now turned a deafening ear to us; we don’t hear from them, let alone receive our monies. We hope you are not throwing dust into the eyes of your brothers and sisters in this predicament. Can you have any other campaign message for us apart from paying our DKM monies? Nothing matters to us at this very moment than our DKM principal deposits; because we are suffering at the grass root: our businesses have collapsed, we are unable to send our children to school, and our marriages are dissolving every now and then. People continue to comment suicide, others die through frustration and depression; Mr. President, what do you say?
Mr. President, the Governor of the BoG who caused this mess resigned untimely, as the constitution demands, you gracefully appointed a New Governor in the person of Dr. Issahaku Nashiru. After careful review of the issues, the new Governor at a Press briefing in Accra stated unequivocally that “efforts are being made to pay depositors their original deposits, so someone has to start making payments even as the liquidation process continues” He continued that “We may have to go into selling the assets and that may take over a year”. He (the Governor) empathized with us by adding that “the poor farmer, for example, whose money is locked, cannot wait for a year to get fertilizer. Someone has to pay.” (http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/DKM-debt-for-sale-440361). We were very happy, because we thought a saviour has finally come. Why has the Governor become quiet on our investments? When is he going to initiate the payment? The time to apply fertilizers to our crops is now!
Mr. President, we know you are not comparing DKM with the other Microfinance institutions or Fun clubs; because unlike DKM, the Managers of most of those Microfinance institutions poorly managed the investments, run bankrupt, and could not pay their investors on due dates. Sir, there was not a single day that DKM did not pay any investor until the abrupt Rambo-styled closure of the company. We believe fervently that DKM would have continued operation and employing a lot more people up until now. We the ordinary Ghanaians in this region want you to know that almost every household in the Upper East Region is affected by the closure of DKM; we have become poorer in the past 2 years and we know this is not what you want for your Brothers and Sisters. Please pay us our monies now!
His Excellency, when you came to the Upper East region for the ‘Accounting to the People tour’ our Traditional Rulers pleaded that you assist us in this regard and you assured them that the matter will be resolved as soon as possible. How long shall we continue to wait? Please pay us this money before any other Campaign promise for Election 2016.
We know His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana, President John Dramani Mahama, Members of Parliament and the BoG are all convinced that the DKM case is as a result of Regulatory failure and so we expect that DKM issue is treated as a National disaster that needs immediate attention; the BoG should therefore pay us upfront so that they take steps to liquidate the assets.
Mr. President, we the depositors have no doubt that we engaged in a lawful venture with a company that was duly Licenced by the Bank of Ghana and has operated for over 5 years, as such we don’t expect to be suffering like this. We pray that you will respond speedily by asking the Governor of the BoG in the next few days to pay us our monies. Mr President, if action is not taken within 2 weeks, we shall advice ourselves accordingly.
Long live the President of the Republic of Ghana!
Long live Upper East Region!!
Long Live Affected Customers of DKM Microfinance Ltd.
Long Live your Northern Brothers and Sisters!
Thank you.
Signed
(Organizers, Aggrieved DKM Customers Upper East Region, Ghana)
By: Offei-Akoto Ayeh | A1RADIOONLINE.com | GHANA
