Telenor Completes Business Plan For GT

Messrs Telenor of Norway, the new strategic investors in the Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited (GT), has completed the business plan for the management of the GT. The plan entails rapid installation of telephone lines in all parts of the country within the next couple of years and improvement in the infrastructural and financial base of the company.

Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, Minister of Communications and Technology described the plan as comprehensive and feasible.

He said the ongoing negotiations between the government and Messrs Telenor regarding the management services agreement for the GT will be completed this month, which is what the government is awaiting so that the Norwegian company can implement the business plan as soon as practicable.

The agreement, when completed, will enable Telenor to take over the management of the GT soon after a memorandum of understanding has been signed. The government selected Messrs Telenor as a strategic investor in the GT, following the failure of Telekom Malaysia to deliver to expectation.

Currently, the Board of Directors of the GT has appointed an acting chief executive to run the company after the dissolution of the Interim Management Committee (IMC).

Mr Owusu-Adjapong said preparations towards the adoption of a new development plan for the National Information Communication Technology (ICT) Policy for the country will be completed by June, 2003.

The ICT Policy Planning Development is being chaired by Prof Clement Dzidonu. Mr Owusu-Adjapong said a definite programme to ensure that telephone lines are installed in every part of the country is also being prepared.

The policy of government, he said, is to ensure that Ghanaians enjoy effective, efficient and uninterrupted telecommunication services. The minister hinted that the Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence will also be completed at the same time the ICT policy will be formulated.

?To this end, some resource persons have been trained in India to re-train Ghanaians when the centre becomes fully operational next year,? Mr Owusu-Adjapong stated.

He stated that there are no problems in the administration of the GT and expressed optimism that the new management will achieve set targets.