Ghana’s Vice President and MTN Group Board Chair Emphasize the Need for Strategic Partnerships for Progress and Investments in Ghana

MTN Ghana has hosted the Board of Directors of MTN Group and members of MTN Group’s Executive Committee in Accra for a two-day MTN Group Board Strategy session. MTN Group was led by MTN Group Board Chairman, Mcebisi Hubert Jonas, and MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Ralph Mupita.

The MTN Group Board retreat in Accra provided the opportunity for the team to engage stakeholders in Ghana to recognize and reaffirm MTN’s commitment to its stakeholders and the partnerships it has developed over the years. The engagements included a Stakeholder Dinner hosted by MTN Ghana and attended by a cross section of private and public sector stakeholders including Ministers of State and leaders of State institutions.  The Vice President of the Republic of Ghana His Excellency Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia was the special guest of honor at the event. Other dignitaries who attended the event included the Honorable Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori Atta, and the Honorable Deputy Minister for Communications and Digitalization, Ama Pomaa Boateng.

The theme of strategic partnerships and the critical role it plays in creating shared value and driving sustainable growth was emphasized by the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Board Chairman of MTN Group, Mcebisi Jonas, and the Board Chairman of MTN Ghana, Dr. Ishmael Yamson, the key speakers at the function.

In his remarks, H.E Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, commended MTN for being a strategic partner in the acceleration of Ghana’s digitalization efforts. He said, “Ghana is taking the right measures and we are incredibly positive about our recovery and prospects of our country. Government is also focused on structural transformation in both traditional and non-traditional sectors. At the heart of this transformation is the need for smart investments in new technologies and critical infrastructure that will modernize the economy to gain competitive advantage on the global stage. This is why partnerships with organizations with MTN are critical to us as a government and we would like to commend them for their role in accelerating Ghana’s digital efforts and contributing Ghana’s socio-economic development.”

Speaking on the current global challenges, geopolitical uncertainties, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on companies, the MTN Group Board Chair, Mr. Mcebisi Hubert Jonas, also stressed the importance of long-term partnerships between governments and companies like MTN to drive African growth and innovation noting that “The future is about strategic partnerships. We must move beyond seeing corporates only as a source of tax revenue, as entities that government’s sole focus is to regulate and control. We need to rethink partnership models between the public and private sector in support of national development agendas while at the same protecting shareholder value.”

For his part, the Board Chairman of MTN Ghana, Dr Ishmael Yamson, in reiterating the need for a strong and positive collaborative relationship between the Government and business for growth said, “This partnership should be anchored in a strong belief that business and society have a symbiotic relationship. The long-term viability of an enterprise depends upon its responsibility to the society of which it is a part. And the wellbeing of society depends upon profitable and responsible business enterprises.”

Members of the MTN Group Board also undertook field visits to the market to familiarize themselves with the work of customer agents and solicit the views of traders and customers who use MTN’s services.

The MTN Group’s visit to Ghana is part of its strategy to foster and strengthen collaborations and partnerships in the countries in which MTN operates and underscore the collective effort required to achieve long term socio-economic growth. One of the four strategic priorities of MTN’s Ambition 2025 is to ‘create shared value’. Regularly engaging with our key stakeholders is essential for MTN to deliver on this priority.