Management, staff of AirtelTigo excited over government purchase - Communications Minister

Communications and Digitalisation Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, says staff and management of AirtelTigo are excited over the purchase of the company by the government of Ghana.

According to her, the workers who hitherto were uncertain about their future with the company have now been assured of job security.

“The vendors were confident that government will be able to handle the assets they were leaving behind. They didn’t want to sell but for circumstances led to it. The staff and management at Airtel-Tigo are happy about the purchase because the uncertainty was killing them,” she told Nana Aba Anamoah on Starr Chat Wednesday.

She also reiterated her claim the purchase did not exceed one dollar despite the claims of lawmaker Sam George.

“We bought Airtel-Tigo for $1. I signed the contract so I don’t know where the $25m is coming from. There’s only one truth about Airtel-Tigo and that’s what I’ve stated.

The government of Ghana last week signed an agreement with telecommunications company AirtelTigo for the transfer of ownership to the state.

The government of Ghana and the parent companies of AirtelTigo, Bharti Airtel Ghana Holdings B.V., MIC Africa B.V signed the transfer after they concluded negotiations to transfer the shares of the company to the Ghana government.

The transfer of ownership comes after AirtelTigo in June 2020 announced its decision to exit the Ghanaian market.

This agreement transfers all customers, assets, and agreed liabilities of AirtelTigo to the government of Ghana.

“We consider this a positive step as it adds to the growing portfolio of digital infrastructure assets being utilized by the government,” Communication Minister Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful stated after the signing of the agreement.