The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has hinted that the government is taking steps to merge Telecel Ghana and AT Ghana.
He was speaking at a staff engagement at AT Ghana Head Office in Accra, where he assured all 300 permanent workers of AT Ghana that they would all be retained under the new entity.
“This is not a re-application process. It is a continuation of your contracts. Every one of you will be absorbed, unless you personally choose to leave,” he stressed.
The Minister also assured customers of AT Ghana that their interests will be fully protected.
The Ghana government owns 100% shares in AT Ghana and 30% shares in Telecel Ghana. The two telcos have been piling up debts to various vendors and partners and have been struggling over the years. Even the acquisition of Vodafone Ghana by Telecel has still not helped matters.
Sam George explained that the merger is a direct response to AT’s precarious financial situation, with the company incurring over $10 million in losses within eight months this year alone.
“These losses are funded by taxpayers. That is money that should be building roads, water systems, and schools. We cannot keep pouring public funds into unsustainable operations,” he said.
Earlier this year, the Minister told journalists that one tower company, ATC Ghana alone presented a bill of GHS1.5 billion to when as debt owed by AT Ghana. But Techfocus24 gathered that the actual debt owed to ATC Ghana is far less because a lot of the invoices covers towers that were earmarked for decommissioning after Airtel and Tigo merged.
Sam George said that by consolidating AT with Telecel, the government aims to cut costs, eliminate duplication, and create a stronger competitor in Ghana’s telecom market.
“It makes no sense for two networks to operate separately on the same tower, both paying twice while both struggle. A merger is the smart and sustainable choice,” he emphasized.
According to him, more than 3.2 million AT subscribers were already being seamlessly migrated onto Telecel’s network through a national roaming arrangement, a process the Minister described as “98% smooth”
Hon. Nartey George outlined that the integration would unfold in three phases:
- Technical migration – nearly complete, with roaming already operational.
- Human resource alignment – ensuring all staff are absorbed before the end of September.
- Commercial restructuring – to be finalized within 120 days, establishing the framework for the merged company.
On the financing front, the Minister was frank about the scale of investment required to sustain the new operator, pegging it at $600 million over the next four years.
He confirmed that government would inject resources, including proceeds from spectrum sales, while inviting Telecel and other partners to co-invest. - Also Read: MoCD allegedly mulls DUOPOLY in Ghana’s telecom industry