Government has no plans of selling its 30% shareholding in Vodafone Ghana - Communication Minister

The Minister for Communication and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has refuted claims that the government has sold its 30% shares in Vodafone Ghana.

Categorically addressing the question, Ursula said, "Mr Speaker, the Government of Ghana has no plans of selling its thirty percent (30%) shareholding in the Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited.

"Vodafone Ghana transferred its seventy percent (70% stake in the company to the Telecel Group in February 2023."

The minister's explanation follows a question posed by the Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Defeamekpor, on whether the government has any plans to sell its shares in Vodafone Ghana.

The National Communications Authority (NCA) has given the final approval for the transfer of the 70 percent majority shares in Vodafone Ghana (Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited) held by Vodafone Group Plc to Telecel Group.

In a release on February 21, 2023, the National Communications Authority (NCA) explained that the final approval follows “satisfaction of conditions outlined in the conditional approval of the shares transfer, including the agreement of the Government of Ghana, who remains the 30% minority shareholder.”

It will be recalled that the NCA had announced on January 16, 2023, that pursuant to the evaluation of the revised proposal from the Telecel Group, it had granted conditional approval for the transfer of the 70 percent majority shares in Vodafone Ghana held by Vodafone Group Plc (the Seller) to Telecel Group (the Buyer) subject to concessions made by the Seller and representations made by the Buyer to the NCA.

It said the regulator will continue to guide the takeover process in accordance with the existing license conditions of Vodafone Ghana, while ensuring that the interests of consumers are held paramount.

Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.

NAY/AE