Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George has strongly criticised the controversial sale of AT for just one dollar, describing the deal as “reckless” and highlighting the significant financial burden it has placed on Ghana.
According to him, the country is now burdened with a debt exceeding 3.5 billion Ghana cedis, much of which stems from the acquisition and management of AirtelTigo.
Speaking about the issue, Sam George revealed, “Today, the American Ambassador was in my office with their team, and one of the major issues discussed was the indebtedness to ATC (American Tower Company). ATC alone has presented us with a bill of 1.5 billion Ghana cedis.”
He further explained that the total debt on AirtelTigo’s books now exceeds 3.5 billion Ghana cedis, a figure that continues to grow as interest accumulates.
“So, if someone told you they bought AT for one dollar, who is going to pay off the 3.5 billion cedis that is accumulating and accruing interest?” he questioned.
Sam George also criticised former Communications Minister Ursula Owusu and others involved in the deal, accusing them of recklessness in their handling of the situation.
“Most of the debt was incurred by Millicom, a private American company that ran Tigo, and by Airtel, an Indian company. What makes this situation even more irresponsible is that after absorbing the company and its debt, they transferred it to the balance sheet of the government of Ghana,” he said.
He further criticised the attempt to offload the company’s assets into a new entity, stating, “Now, they’re trying to offload the company’s assets into a new vehicle and have Airtel take over the ‘clean’ company. This is a reckless move, and it shows a lack of responsibility.”
Sam George concluded by stressing the importance of accountability in resolving the issue.
“The Attorney-General has work to do, because we cannot run a country like this. We must ensure that the government is not burdened with the debts of irresponsible decisions made in the past,” he added.
Source: myjoyonline.com