There is a mad rush for Ghana Telecom (GT) one-touch cellular phone starter-pack chip in Tamale.

As early as 06:00 hours on Monday, several people had queued in front of the GT customer services office and were arguing over the size and superiority of their cellular phones.

When the office opened at 08:30 hours there was pandemonium at the entrance.

The Northern Regional Manager of GT, Mr Fordjour Baffour had to intervene to calm down prospective customers.

The customers were made to provide an identity card, passport-sized photograph, a cellular phone and 366,000 cedis before being connected.

Mr Baffour said the office has put in place a strategy that would minimise people buying and reselling the starter-pack chips but he did not elaborate.

He said the Tamale office received 100 of the chips last week and another 100 this week adding that priority was given to the security services and corporate bodies.

Mr Baffour said his office has in stock, the post-paid starter packs but that was not being patronised because it was perceived to be expensive.

Unlike the prepaid chip, which costs 366,000 cedis to get connected, the post paid costs 1.4 million cedis to connect in addition to line rental and monthly bills.