Senior manager of Ghana's 5G provider NextGen found - Official

The senior manager of Next Gen Infraco (NGIC), Tony Mintah, who was reportedly abducted, has been found.

According to the company, the senior manager has been located and is doing well.

"The Management of Next Gen Infraco (NGIC) would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Ghana Police Service for their swift and professional response to the situation involving Mr. Tony Mintah, a senior manager with NGIC. We are pleased to inform the public that Mr. Mintah has been located and is safe.

“We also want to extend our appreciation to the general public for their support and cooperation during this time. Your vigilance and assistance were invaluable. Thank you once again to the authorities and the public for your continued efforts,” the statement reads.

A statement by the Ghana Police Service corroborated that the senior manager had been found.

The police wrote, “The Ghana Police Service wishes to inform the public that Mr. Tony Minatah has been found.”

Earlier, the police announced that it had commenced an investigation to find Tony Mintah.

According to the police, Tony Mintah has not been seen since unidentified individuals reportedly took him.

The police, in a statement shared on social media on Wednesday, indicated that the manager was reportedly abducted at the premises of the National Communication Authority (NCA) in Accra.

"The Ghana Police Service is investigating the whereabouts of Mr Tony Mintah, the Chief Executive Officer of NextGen Infraco, who was allegedly taken away by unidentified individuals from the premises of the National Communication Authority (NCA) in Accra.

"The police would like to urge the public to remain calm and report any relevant information to the designated telephone number, 0547927272," parts of the statement read.

It concluded, "Investigations continue into the matter, and updates will be provided in due course."

About NextGen:

The government awarded the contract for the rollout of a 5G network in Ghana to NextGen InfraCo Limited.

The award of the contract raised many eyebrows because the company was incorporated barely a week before President Akufo-Addo granted executive approval for the deal, which is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Issues of transparency and fairness were raised over the award of the contract, as it was awarded through sole sourcing without allowing other companies to bid.

However, the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has justified the decision of the government to award the 5G network contract to NextGen InfraCo Limited.

At a press briefing in Accra on Thursday, May 30, 2024, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful confirmed the deal and indicated it was awarded based on merit.

She explained that NextGen was specifically established for the rollout of the 5G network in Ghana because no existing "neutral" company within the country had the capacity to undertake it.

"This is a special purpose vehicle, and once the government decided that we would use a neutral infrastructure company to deliver this service, there was no existing neutral infrastructure company capable of delivering it at the moment.

"So, it had to be specifically formed for the purpose of delivering this service, based on the strategic policies and decisions of the government, and it is borne out of our experiences, which is why we chose not to auction it," she said.

BAI/AE

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