Reviving AT: Ghana’s Minister of Communications Pledges to Save Struggling State-Owned Telco
The Minister of Communications, Digital Techology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George has assured Ghanaians that the government is taking deliberate steps to revive the struggling state-owned telecommunications company, AT.
According to him, even though the company still boasts some of the most skilled professionals in the sector and has managed to stay afloat through difficult times, it faces serious long-standing financial and operational challenges, some dating back as far as 2009.
“There are hard conversations to be had and tough decisions to be made, but we will take them. We are committed to saving the company, protecting the jobs of 500 permanent staff, and supporting the livelihoods of over 10,000 others who depend on AT. Whatever decisions are made, the well-being of the over 500 direct employees, including 300 permanent and 200 contract staff, is non-negotiable”.
He also commended the staff for their resilience and dedication to work.
“You’ve held the fort through extremely difficult times. Operating with limited resources, your continued service to customers is commendable and it has not gone unnoticed”.
The Minister rallied the team around a shared vision of transformation.“We are on the cusp of a new dawn. With the support of the President himself being a former Minister for Communications and understands this sector. We will steady the ship, plug the gaps and steer this company toward excellence.
He stressed that the ultimate goal is to ensure Ghanaians get value for money through improved customer service, noting that AT belongs wholly to the state.
“This is a 100% government-owned company, it belongs to all of us. We must make it work for our own people. I wasn’t appointed to lament, I was appointed to fix the lamentations. And we will fix them.”
The Minister revealed that a number of proposals have already been submitted, and the government is hopeful that within the next eight weeks, a clear roadmap will emerge to put AT back on strong economic footing.
Acknowledging the company’s significant debt burden, he confirmed that the Ministry has begun engaging with creditors to restructure what is owed, an essential step if AT is to attract new investment.
“You can’t attract investment if you don’t deal with the debt,” he stated.
He also reaffirmed the commtment of the Mahama government to revitalising Ghana’s telecommunications sector, stressing that sustained, strategic investment and prioritisation of worker welfare will be paramount.
On the issue of Spectrum, the Minister explained that the resource is not handed out freely.
“When Spectrum is allocated, companies are given 30 days to pay. I don’t know if AT, in its current form, can meet that requirement. But we are also conducting a Spectrum rationalisation to ensure better use and commercial value.”
He said the government is exploring a range of policy and structural options, including technical management support to stabilise AT.
“I’ve received three proposals already from external companies interested in investing in AT. But this time, we’ll be cautious and ensure that any commitments made are fully enforced,” he said.
