THE Government of Ghana and a Norway-based telecommunications company, Telenor (web site) Management Partner AS (TMP), have concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the management of Ghana Telecom.

The MOU requires Telenor, in co-operation with the Ghana Government, to develop within three months an agreed business plan, milestones and success criteria, and identify the need for funding and for specialist personnel to secure the development of Ghana Telecom.

Under the MOU, Telenor is required to make available financial resources sufficient to expand the fixed network of Ghana Telecom by a minimum of 400,000 fixed lines within two to three years in order to extend telephone services to every town with a senior secondary school or teacher training college for Internet and other application.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Communications in Accra yesterday, a fixed line in this context is any technology which allows one to make broadband telephone connection to the computer so that voice, high-speed data transfer, the Internet and applications including video streaming can be transmitted at competitive tariffs.

It said Telenor is also expected to address issues such as provision of management expertise and technical services to facilitate the positioning of Ghana Telecom in the global market, improvement of the quality service on the existing and proposed telephone infrastructure and improving existing infrastructure to broadband so as to facilitate the introduction of multi-media applications, including the Internet, e-commerce and others.

Furthermore, the MOU requires Telenor to develop in co-operation with the authorities in Ghana, effective methods for the investigation of malpractices in the telecom sector.

The release said other issues to be addressed by Telenor are human resource development strategy, programme to extend services to under-serviced areas, content of performance bond and proposed products and services for Ghana Telecom.

During the recent press conference on July 2, 2002, the Minister of Communications and Technology threw light on efforts being made by the Government of Ghana, to invite strategic investment into the management of Ghana Telecom.

The minister disclosed that upon consideration of the proposals received from the 12 interested investors, government invited Messrs Telenor Management Partners (TMP) of Norway for investigations.