We Bought Airtel/Tigo For Just $1, What’s Your Beef?

Though the Minister for Communications and Digitilisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful insists the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government purchased the telecommunication company, Airtel/Tigo for just a dollar, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel Nartey George does not believe the claim.

He sarcastically asked how much the minister buys the pencil she uses to draw her eyebrows to justify her claim that she bought a whole company for just a dollar.

On her Facebook page yesterday, the Minister, who is also MP for Ablekuma West Constituency posted a message to debunk the $25 million allegation that Sam George had earlier quoted as the amount Ghana paid for taking over Airtel/Tigo.

In the short rebuttal which attracted numerous comments, the Communications Minister described Sam George’s claim as “a barefaced lie, blatant untruth.”

She added that “some people find it very difficult to believe we can negotiate good deals for government. I signed the Airtel/Tigo contract. We acquired it for just a dollar. Someone, an MP, says he heard me say we paid $25 million. A barefaced lie…. blatant untruth.

“Please ask Sam George where he heard that. Then Sit back and listen to long English grammar and drama…. just keep your eyes on the ball. How much did we pay to acquire the company? 1 dollar, Simple!!”

Sam George did not let the Minister’s post pass by without comment. He immediately posted a response that: “Someone should tell our Minister for Communications that grand posturing and arrogant clap backs would not stop us on the Parliamentary Committee of Communications and the good people of Ghana from demanding accountability from her.”

He continued, “What does she take us for? That she bought Airtel/Tigo for $1? How much is the eyebrow pencil she uses to draw her eyebrows and she thinks she can insult our intelligence?

“Madam, after basking in the fake fans of your social media followers, prepare to appear before the Committee and give us details of the transactions. We would not allow the already burdened taxpayers of our country to be saddled with poorly thought out decisions that impose more debt or hardship on us. Our eyes are fixed on the ball and I urge you to do same. No long talk,” he intimated.

Even before Sam George took a jab at the Minister, former MP for Kumbungu had taken a bit of the meal served hot in the ‘compound house’ of social media. To him, it was not enough joy to buy Airtel/Tigo at just a dollar, when their liabilities run into millions of dollars – which he quoted at $50 million.

He commented under the Minister’s post, saying: “Ursula Owusu, the fact is, Airtel/Tigo has huge liabilities (debt) in its books. If someone sold a company to government at $1 as you say, but the company owes or has liabilities of $50million, you clearly couldn’t have bought it for a dollar, without taking into account the liabilities. The question is, how much does Airtel/Tigo owe? Do you mean government bought It @ $1 per share? What assets does Aitel/Tigo have?”

Reading comments under the post of Sam George, who is a deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Communications Committee and that of Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the paper observed mixed reactions.

That was to be expected because the comments were aligned along the two opposing political parties – government (NPP) and opposition (NDC).

Curiously, the Communications Minister’s post was actually to address a statement Sam George had issued on his MP’s letterhead, speaking about the purchase of the company.

The statement issued on April 22, 2021 reads in part; “As deputy Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications, I have indicated to the leadership my intention to, as a matter of urgency, call for an emergency meeting between the Committee and the Ministry to get a thorough and detailed briefing on the modalities of the alleged purchase, the economic state of Airtel/Tigo, issues regarding the status and welfare of Ghanaian workers of Airtel/Tigo and to understand the intention of the Ministry with regards to the long term plans for the company.”

A visit to the website of the company, Airtel/Tigo, yesterday, showed that the company has 400 retail outlets across the country and 2000 network footprints. Airtel/Tigo, in November 2017, was launched from a merger between Airtel and Tigo.

The post We Bought Airtel/Tigo For Just $1, What’s Your Beef? appeared first on The Chronicle Online.

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