Honorable Samuel George Nartey, the Minister for Communication, Digitalisation, Technology and Innovation, has cautioned the three telecommunications companies in Ghana to improve their quality of service or face sanctions, as mandated by the Ministry. The Minister stated that the government intends to allocate 40% to 50% of any resulting fines to customers in the form of data or call time on their respective networks.
Mr. George conveyed this message at a meeting held in Accra with the Chief Executives of the three major telecommunications companies in the country: Mr. Stephen Blewett, Chief Executive of MTN Ghana; Mr. Skarlator Leo, Chief Executive of AirtelTigo; and Mr. Mohamad Ghaddar, Chief Operating Officer of Telecel. The meeting was prompted by a recent survey conducted by the National Communications Authority regarding customer satisfaction with the telcos.
The survey, covering 48 localities in the first quarter of the year, revealed widespread customer dissatisfaction with the quality of services provided.
Government In Talks To Takeover AirtelTigo
Furthermore, the Minister announced that the government is currently negotiating with a strategic investor for the revamp and potential takeover of AirtelTigo, now rebranded as AT. This initiative aims to reposition the state-owned telecom operator and enhance competition within the sector.
The announcement was made during a stakeholder engagement with telecom industry CEOs on Friday, May 30, 2025. Mr. George stated that a 60-day timeline has been set for completing the deal, with the objective of rolling out improved services by the end of the third quarter.
“It is good to hear CAPEX requirements that are coming in. As Minister, I hold in trust for the Ghanaian people. Maybe for the first time, I will put out that the government is currently in negotiations with a strategic partner to revamp and take over AT. We started these conversations. We have given a 60-day window for the completion of those negotiations so that by the end of Q3, we could see a full roll out of the improved services from AT,” Sam George said.
Solution To AirtelTigo’s Struggle In The Industry
This move aims to inject vital capital and technical expertise into AT, which has struggled to compete effectively in the market since its operations were taken over by the government in 2021. Mr. George also disclosed that Cabinet has approved the allocation of new spectrum resources to key players, including Telecel and MTN, to bolster infrastructure and enhance service delivery.
“Cabinet is giving approval for spectrum to be offered to Telecel and MTN as well. The regulators also brought to my attention a request for connecting entity licenses so that the likes of AT and Telecel that are pretty constrained spectrum-wise could immediately take advantage of some resources on the NGIC platform. MTN is also welcome if they are interested to take part of those resources,” he added. These developments reflect a renewed effort by the government to stimulate innovation, expand network coverage, and improve overall service delivery within the telecommunications industry.
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Yes ooooo they need to do that, because some of them their service are very pooooooooooooooooor