Business News of Saturday, 16 August 2008

Source: GNA

GT Manager dismisses public fears about workers lay off

Wa, Aug. 15, GNA - Mr James Nana Egyir, Upper West Regional Manager of Ghana Telecom (GT) on Friday dismissed public fears that Vodafone would lay off workers when it eventually takes over the company.

He said on the contrary, more workers would be engaged if the company was expanded through the injection of more capital into its operations.

Mr Egyir said this when newsmen visited the regional office of the company in Wa to assess workers mood after the ratification of the GT sale agreement by Parliament on Thursday.

"We are happy that Parliament has done its duty and we commend the Members of Parliament (MPs) for that and with this approval we will get money for GT to grow," the GT Manager stated.

Mr Egyir said GT's expansion programme which was started during the last quarter of last year has been stalled due to lack of funds. "With a multinational like Vodafone we will get money to buy new equipment and negotiate for good prices in the market," he pointed out.

Comparing GT to other mobile phone networks in the Wa Municipality for example, he said, while TIGO had five cell sites, GT had only two and as a result of this low coverage, it was loosing customers to other networks.

"It is sad for you to know that between Wenchi in the Brong Ahafo Region and Bole in the Northern Region; only Bole has One-Touch service."

Some of the workers who spoke to newsmen expressed satisfaction with the parliamentary approval and hoped the concluding processes would be speeded up for operations to begin.