The Minority Caucus has publicly attacked the Minister for Communications, Samuel Nartey George, accusing him of erratic policy shifts and attempting to scuttle a strategic partnership for AirtelTigo (AT), actions they contend risk consolidating MTN’s market dominance.
The bloc stated that the Minister’s conduct over the past six months has “put the industry in a tough position” and “particularly diminished the value” of the state-owned telecommunications company.
The caucus began by detailing the history of AT, which was formed in January 2018 through the merger of Airtel and Tigo. When the new entity failed to secure crucial infrastructure investment, including for 4G technology, leading to unsustainable operations, the previous administration intervened.
According to the Minority, In April 2021, the then government acquired 100% ownership of AT for a symbolic $1 to safeguard thousands of jobs and protect the national digital infrastructure. The caucus also claimed that this strategic move, which saved over 500 direct jobs, was later questioned by the current Minister while in opposition, who alleged a higher acquisition cost an allegation the Minority claims he has failed to substantiate since taking office.
Following the acquisition, the previous government had a blueprint to recapitalise and modernise AT. The plan involved engaging Deloitte Ghana to lead a transparent search for a private investor. This search resulted in Hanan & Partners being selected as the top bidder, offering $115 million for 85% ownership to finance comprehensive network upgrades.
However, the Minority asserts that “unnecessary cacophony” from the then-opposition, specifically Sam George’s “stolen goods for sale” analogy, coupled with impending elections, caused Hanan to withdraw.
The core of the Minority’s concern focuses on the Minister’s recent, seemingly contradictory actions regarding AT’s future partner. The Minister first visited AT staff on May 2, 2025, promising substantial government investment to revitalise the company.
Shortly thereafter, the government, according to the Minority signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Recton on May 21, 2025, for a 60% ownership stake a deal widely reported by international stock exchanges. The Minister then publicly announced on May 31, 2025, that negotiations with a strategic partner would conclude within 60 days.
This timeline was immediately thrown into question on July 3, 2025, when the Minister announced that KPMG had been contracted as a transactional advisor for the Recton deal, with only 28 days left on the 60-day window. The Minority questioned the propriety of signing an MOU with a defined 60/40 ownership structure before the transactional advisor had even completed their work.
Shifting Stances and the Specter of a Telecel Merger
The Minority further accused the Minister of using the Attorney General’s (AG) legal opinion as a “shield” for indecision. This came after the Minister stated on August 1, 2025, that AT’s future depended on the AG’s advice, a position they argue “is in stark contrast to his earlier position” after signing the Recton MOU.
Most alarmingly, the Minority detailed an alleged meeting on September 3, 2025, where the Minister supposedly conveyed an intent to “abandon the Recton deal for a deal with Telecel,” suggesting a merger. This alleged policy pivot follows the Minister’s failure to honour a $5 million payment promise to infrastructure provider American Tower Company (ATC), an omission which led to a reported estimated $7 million revenue loss to AT in the month of September.
The Minority concluded that pushing for a merger between AT and Telecel, a company they describe as being in debt and struggling to improve its own capabilities, would fatally weaken the competitive structure of the market.
They argue that such a consolidation would grant MTN an effective monopoly in the Ghanaian telecommunications sector, directly undermining the original strategic intent of the government’s acquisition of AT. The Minority stresses that AT needs a capable partner to inject capital, a need that is being ignored in favour of what they view as chaotic and shifting policy.
Story By: Eugenia Ewoenam Osei
