The struggling state-owned telecommunications company, AirtelTigo, is set for major reforms, as Minister-Designate for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has outlined plans to revamp the entity and make it viable.
During his vetting in Parliament, he was asked about the current state of AirtelTigo, which is wholly owned by the government of Ghana.
He acknowledged the dire condition of the company, stating that poor management in the sector over the years has left it uncompetitive.
“AirtelTigo is a sorry example of what mismanagement in the telecom sector has been in the past eight years.
It was an attempt to merge two failing companies to keep them afloat, but it has remained unsustainable, with obsolete equipment and debt exceeding half a billion,” he explained.
Despite these challenges, he assured that the government is determined to find a way forward without causing job losses.
“There is a roadmap under His Excellency John Dramani Mahama to ensure that we consolidate the government’s shareholdings in the sector into a viable enterprise while protecting jobs,” he affirmed.
He also hinted at the need to modernize the company’s technology, as it still operates on outdated infrastructure.
“The truth is, AirtelTigo is still running on old systems that can’t compete in the market. We need to change that,” he added.
