AirtelTigo takeover: Employees' fate hanging as procedure delays

Information reaching GhanaWeb indicates that there is storm brewing between workers and employers of AirtelTigo.

According to GhanaWeb’s sources, several employees are anxious about their status as conversation regarding government’s takeover of the company remains incomplete.

In October last year, government of Ghana announced the complete takeover of the Telecommunication giant.

Communications and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, while responding to developments about the takeover, reaffirmed that government would be done with the process soon.

She further explained that jobs of workers of the telecommunication giants were secured, adding that government will prioritise the best interest of staff of the company when the acquisition process is completed.

“Government is in the process of taking over AirtelTigo. The process hasn’t been completed yet, but it is something that we are going to do very quickly, and it is at the request of the operators and shareholders of AirtelTigo who have indicated that they want to exit the Ghanaian market.

“Government in view of the importance of this sector, the role it plays and the number of jobs that are supported by this entity has decided that in the short term it will take over the assets and liabilities of AirtelTigo,” she told the Appointments Committee of Parliament.

“Government is yet to take a decision on what it will do in the long term. Our intention is to maintain it as a going concern and to ensure that we protect the jobs and livelihoods that are dependent on this entity,” she pointed.

Despite these assurances, however, the employees remain unhinged as they say they do not see any end in sight.

Among other things, our sources have noted that “Both shareholders (Bharti Airtel and Millicom) don't want to pay employees’ bonus for 2020. Though employees achieved the business target amidst poor network and lack of investment by shareholders.”

They also prayed that their salaries will be adjusted since same had not been done in the last three years.