MTN dash over 21 million minutes of calls

MTN Ghana is dashing all of its over 10.6 million customers two minutes free airtime between 5am – 12midnight on Tuesday July 31, 2012, in commemoration of the one week celebration of the death of President John Evans Atta-Mills.

MTN Ghana is the market leader with at least 10.65million customers as at the end of May 2012, and its on-net standard call rate is 9Gp per minute, so if all 10.65 million customers use the free two minutes, then the company would have given away 21.3million minutes of calls, worth about GHC1.92million.

The President kicked the bucket at 14:15hours GMT on Tuesday, July 24, 2012, and July 31, 2012 is exactly one week since he died.

Corporate Service Executive of MTN Ghana, Cynthia Lumor told Adom News the management and staff of the company, were shocked by the demise of the president, just like every Ghanaian was.

She said “tomorrow (July 31, 2012) being exactly one week since our president died we expect that our customers will call their family members and friends and console each other and also discuss issues related to the president’s death so we are dashing each customer two minutes free airtime to make MTN to MTN calls for that purpose,” she said.

Asked if MTN could not have given a bigger offer to customers in honour of the president, Cynthia Lumor said "since the purpose is to just make that brief call and console each other about our loss we believe two minutes would suffice."

Some customers who spoke with Adom News said the gesture is an excellent one, whiles others think MTN should have given at least GHC2 worth of calls for free in honour of the late President, instead of two minutes.

Meanwhile, any of the other telcos is yet to announce any special event in honour of the late president.

Government has meanwhile declared one minute nationwide silence at exactly 14:15hours GMT on Tuesday, July 31, 2012, while family members of the late president are also marking the day in their home town, Ekumfi Otuam with some customary rites.