By: Valentia Tetteh
The Minority Caucus on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Information and Communications has called for a comprehensive parliamentary inquiry into the proposed merger between AT Ghana, the country’s only wholly Ghanaian-owned telecommunications company, and Telecel Ghana.
Addressing the Parliamentary Press Corps in Parliament on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, the Ranking Member of the Committee, Matthew Nyindam (MP, Kpandai), said the caucus is deeply concerned about what it describes as a lack of transparency, due process, and consistency in the government’s handling of the matter.
He said the Minority had initially refrained from making public pronouncements on the issue because of the sensitive and capital-intensive nature of the telecommunications sector. However, he alleged that the conduct of the Minister for Communications, Sam George, over the past six months had thrown the industry into jeopardy.
According to the Minority, the current developments risk devaluing AT Ghana, formerly AirtelTigo, which remains the only telecom operator fully owned by Ghanaians.
Mr. Nyindam recounted that in 2018, Airtel and Tigo merged to form AT Ghana to consolidate resources and enhance competitiveness in the market. However, due to financial constraints and limited infrastructure investment, the company struggled to stay afloat until the government intervened in 2021 by acquiring 100% ownership.
“The policy underpinning of the strategic move by the government to acquire AT was to protect the jobs of Ghanaians, protect the competitive balance of the telecom sector, safeguard critical national digital infrastructure and enhance Ghanaian participation in the sector,” he emphasized.
The Minority contends that the government’s decision to seek a merger between AT and Telecel is inconsistent and lacks a clear roadmap.
“The current government and the Hon. Sam George since assuming office have demonstrated an equivocating policy stance and have shown the lack of direction and certainty as to what they want to do with AT despite the clear, unambiguous roadmap,” Mr. Nyindam said.
He questioned the government’s justification for abandoning a previous partnership plan with Afritel/Rektron, companies that had reportedly proposed to inject US$150 million in initial capital and up to US$1 billion over five years, in favor of a Telecel deal with no clear capital commitment.
“It defies logic and sound reasoning that the Hon Minister would consider a USD 50 million network upgrade by Telecel after the supposed consolidation as sufficient to sustain both companies yet dismiss a USD 150 million initial (Year 1) investment and up to a total of USD 1 billion over the next five years,” he argued.
The Minority also expressed concerns about potential job losses, the collapse of competition in the telecom sector, and the impact on ongoing national digital infrastructure projects, including the World Bank–funded Digital Infrastructure Venture (DIV) Project.
“By safeguarding AT, we are protecting 300 employees, 200 contract staff and over 10,000 indirect employment in line with the objective of the acquisition of AT by the government,” the caucus noted.
The Minority accused the government of attempting to hand over a strategic national asset to a private company under questionable circumstances.
“We wish to unequivocally object to any deal with Telecel by way of merger, absorption, acquisition or whatever term the minister seeks to place on such ‘unholy alliance’. We object on grounds that it is a scheme to dispose of a national asset to fill private pockets.”
The group has also warned the Telecel Group against engaging in any irregular or non-transparent transaction, cautioning that such a deal will not be recognized by a future administration.
“Any attempt to acquire a strategic state asset through unlawful, non-transparent, or irregular means will not only lack legitimacy but will also attract severe consequences in the future,” Mr. Nyindam cautioned.
Minority’s Demands
The Minority Caucus outlined the following key demands:
1. An immediate halt to the ongoing consolidation or merger discussions between AT Ghana and Telecel.
2. A full parliamentary inquiry into the circumstances and terms of the proposed merger.
3. Full disclosure of all agreements, correspondence, and reports including the recommendations of KPMG, the transaction advisors.
4. Immediate engagement with the American Tower Company (ATC) to resolve service withdrawal issues and assess AT Ghana’s indebtedness.
The Minority reaffirmed its commitment to protecting national assets, promoting fair competition in the telecommunications sector, and ensuring transparency and accountability in government transactions.
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