Ghana Telecom promises improved services

Accra, Mar. 20, GNA-- Mr. Oystein Bjorge, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Telecom has given assurance that Ghanaians would soon witness visible signs of the company's promise to provide 400,000 fixed lines throughout the country.

He said, following extensive negotiations, coupled with the support of government, the management has secured the much needed funding that had enabled it to revive many of its projects and also facilitated the placement of orders for new stateof the art switches with the desired capacities.


Mr. Bjorge was addressing an awards ceremony for 94 retired staff of the Company in Accra on Friday.


He added that management was also working around the clock to establish One-touch GSM network as the fastest and technologically advanced network in the country.


Mr. Bjorge said the company is deploying about 10,000 Payphones throughout the country to cater for the needs of many people who do not have access to telephone in their homes.


He further disclosed that the company has established a Network Management Centre to monitor the entire GT network to ensure that faults were detected and rectified promptly.

The company is also putting in place a fraud management system to cater for the abuse in the usage of telephones. ? Mr. Bjorge said the liberalisation of the telecommunication industry has exposed GT to serious competition from other operators and called for a complete mindset of the company's employees to enable it to stay ahead of the competition.


Nana Antwi Boasiako, chairman of GT's board of directors noted that efforts to improve upon the operation of the company would come to naught if the illegalities being perpetuated by some recalcitrant staff are not halted.


He alleged that some staff of the company are said to have converted an official line into a public call centre where fees as low as 20,000 cedis are being charged for lengthy foreign calls in the nights and weekends.


Nana Boasiako said that full-scale investigations are being conducted into the matter and warned that the perpetrators would be made to face the full rigours of the law if the allegation is found to be true.


He congratulated the GT retirees for their dedicated service to the company and asked them to register as members of the P and T Retired Staff Association.

On behalf of the retirees, Mr. Ankrah Badu thanked the management of the company for assuring a regular payment of SSNIT contributions of workers, the retention of the end- of- service benefit and the institution of a Provident Fund.


He noted that this had ensured an appreciable comfort for all retired workers of the company, adding that GT is one of the best corporate organisations as compared to others in the country.


The retirees were later presented with items, including fridges and television sets. Among them were Rose and Agnes Blay, twin sisters, who have each worked for the GT for the period of 40 years.