Ho, Aug 14, GNA - Trimming Vodafone-Ghana staff strength is to be commensurate with available volume of work and required skills and this is a crucial part of the process of bringing it back into competition, Major Albert Don-Chebe (Rtd), Head of Corporate Communication of Vodafone, has said

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, he said layoffs were to be expected as it was obvious right from the beginning that any transformation could not come without retrenchments. "The evolution of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone-Ghana was expected to involve a process of transformation that will result in the restructuring of the business in line with best practices," he said on Thursday.

Maj Don-Chebe said currently Vodafone-Ghana had 1,000 more staff than all the other mobile telephone companies combined. He said the layoffs would affect all "levels and functions" and would be handled in a transparent manner, non-arbitrary with every employee going before an assessment board. Maj Don-Chebe said if Vodafone-Ghana was transformed into a viable company it was for the good of Ghana that owns 30 percent shares in the company.

"It is only proper that the company gives back to the people as much as it gets from the people," he said.

Maj Don-Chebe said within 12 months, Vodafone had invested one billion dollars in Ghana and network coverage is expected to increase by 100 percent at the close of the year with its customer base growing by over 35 percent since April to make it the fastest growing network in Ghana.

He said Vodafone had brought life back to the dying Ghana-Telecom, which was strapped for investments for years while the other networks galloped away. 14 Aug 09