The Minority in Parliament has accused Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, of gross mismanagement and secrecy in the ongoing process involving the reported consolidation of AT Ghana with Telecel Group.
Addressing journalists in Parliament, Ranking Member on the Communications Committee, Matthew Nyindam, said the minister’s conduct over the past six months has thrown Ghana’s telecom industry into “jeopardy” and diminished the value of AT — the country’s only wholly Ghanaian-owned telecommunications company.
Mr. Nyindam stated, “The Minister runs rampage with pronouncements that have caused chaos in the telecom sector and specifically caused the loss of revenue to AT in addition to the state of confusion that he has thrown the staff and management of AT into. The minister’s lack of corporate governance manners has not been unnoticed.”
He further accused the minister of inconsistent policy direction, alleging that Mr. George has “oscillated” between merger talks with different companies — from Rektron to Telecel — without proper consultation or parliamentary scrutiny.
According to the Minority, the Telecel deal lacks transparency and represents “a scheme to dispose of a national asset to fill private pockets.” Mr. Nyindam argued that AT is a strategic national institution that must be protected rather than handed over to a foreign operator.
“We object on grounds that it is a scheme to dispose of a national asset to fill private pockets. It is technically, operationally and financially unconscionable. We reiterate that Telecel has no exclusive expertise that the staff and management of AT do not possess,” he declared.
The group also expressed concerns over alleged lobbying and private interests surrounding the transaction, calling on President John Dramani Mahama to intervene and order the minister to halt the process.
Mr. Nyindam added, “We take notice of the lobbying and alleged private gains this transaction presents to the minister. We take notice of MTN funding the Dzata Foundation which is linked to the minister. We equally take notice of the minister directing Telecel to sponsor the Homowo festival in his constituency for the first time, the same week he announced the supposed takeover of AT by Telecel.”
The Minority further warned Telecel Group that any attempt to acquire AT through non-transparent means will be resisted and reviewed under a future NPP government.
“We are also sending a strong and unequivocal caution to the Telecel Group that any attempt to acquire a strategic state asset through unlawful, non-transparent, or irregular means will not only lack legitimacy but will also attract severe consequences in the future,” Nyindam said.
The caucus is demanding an immediate suspension of the deal, a full parliamentary inquiry, and the disclosure of all related agreements and advisory reports on the matter.
