The Minority in Parliament has called for immediate suspension of any plans by the government to merge or sell AT, Ghana’s only wholly-owned telecommunications company, insisting that the national asset must remain Ghanaian-owned.
The Minority Caucus accused the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Samuel Nartey George, of mismanaging the telecom sector and taking inconsistent policy positions that have plunged AT into uncertainty.
At a press conference on Wednesday addressed by the Ranking Member for the Information and Communications Committee, Martin Nyindam, the Caucus said the minister’s conduct over the past six months has diminished the value of AT and created confusion among its staff and management.
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According to the Minority, AT (formerly AirtelTigo) was acquired by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in April 2021 for just US$1 to save over 500 jobs and protect more than five million customers after the company’s previous owners decided to exit Ghana’s market.
The acquisition, they stressed, was driven by the need to safeguard jobs, maintain competition in the telecom sector, and preserve Ghana’s digital infrastructure.
The Ranking Member noted that under the previous administration, a strategic plan was developed to recapitalise AT and attract private investment. Deloitte Ghana was later engaged to identify a suitable partner, leading to Hannam & Partners, Celsation, and Afritel emerging as the top bidders. Eventually, Afritel/Rektron proposed a US$150 million initial investment and up to US$1 billion over five years to revitalise AT — a proposal that the current Minister initially supported but later abandoned.
The Caucus expressed shock that Hon. Samuel George has now shifted his stance, favouring a merger between AT and Telecel Ghana, formerly Vodafone. They questioned the rationale behind abandoning a $1 billion investment offer in favour of a partnership with a company that is already debt-ridden and has yet to meet its own $500 million investment pledge.
“It defies logic and sound reasoning that the Minister would reject a US$150 million first-year injection from Afritel/Rektron in favour of a US$50 million upgrade promised by Telecel,” the Minority stated. They further warned that the proposed merger would effectively create a duopoly, reducing competition and limiting consumer options.
The Caucus raised red flags about transparency in the handling of the merger talks, citing multiple contradictions between the Ministry’s communications, KPMG’s advisory role, and public statements by Telecel’s Group CEO, Moh Damush. They accused the Minister of secrecy and possible conflict of interest, alleging links between the Ministry and Telecel’s recent sponsorship activities.
Describing AT as a strategic national asset, Hon. Nyindam warned that any attempt to sell, merge, or hand over majority control to a foreign company without parliamentary approval would be resisted. He reminded the government that AT plays a critical role in ensuring competition, providing affordable services, and supporting thousands of jobs both directly and indirectly.
He further warned that the ongoing uncertainty threatens the World Bank-funded US$50 million Digital Infrastructure Venture (DIV) Project, which relies heavily on AT’s network backbone to connect over 900 public institutions across the country.
The Minority urged President John Dramani Mahama to intervene and rein in his Communications Minister, warning that any deal conducted in secrecy would face reversal by a future NPP government.
“We will not sit idly by and allow a single Minister to unilaterally dispose of a critical national asset. AT was acquired to protect Ghanaian jobs, preserve competition, and ensure Ranking declared.
The Caucus issued a four-point demand to the government:
- Immediate suspension of all consolidation, acquisition, or merger talks involving AT.
- A parliamentary inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the proposed deal.
- Full disclosure of all agreements, reports, and correspondence relating to the Afritel/Rektron proposal.
- Resolution of AT’s outstanding issues with American Tower Company (ATC) to ensure service continuity.
Hon Nyindam reaffirmed its unwavering position that AT must remain Ghanaian, insisting that any foreign takeover is unconscionable, lacks transparency, and undermines the national interest.