Ghana’s Minister of Communications and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has provided an explanation for the government’s decision to award the 5G Technology network rollout contract to NextGen InfraCo Limited, a company incorporated just one week prior.
The contract, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, has drawn criticism from notable Ghanaians, including investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni. Awuni raised concerns about the lack of transparency and fairness, as the contract was awarded through sole sourcing without allowing experienced companies to bid.
At a press briefing in Accra on Thursday, May 30, 2024, Owusu-Ekuful confirmed the deal and stated that it was awarded based on merit. She explained that NextGen was specifically established for the 5G network rollout in Ghana, as no existing “neutral” company within the country had the capacity to undertake the task.
“This is a special purpose vehicle, and once the government decided to use a neutral infrastructure company to deliver this service, there was no existing neutral infrastructure company capable of doing it at the moment,” Owusu-Ekuful said. “So, it had to be specifically formed for the purpose of delivering this service, based on the strategic policies and decisions of the government, and it is borne out of our experiences, which is why we chose not to auction it.”
