Communications Minister Haruna Iddrisu has given the assurance that the nation will realize monetary value in government’s proposed re-engagement with Vodafone.

He said while government did not intend to abrogate the Sale and Purchase Agreement that saw 70 per cent shares of Ghana Telecom ceded to Vodafone, it was determined to ensure that the nation gets more value from the sale.

Speaking to Joy FM’s Super Morning Show host Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, Mr Iddrisu said there were certain areas of the agreement that the government believed could be looked at for the benefit of the country.

“Vodafone for instance got a 3G License, how could that be part of the assets of (GT),? and how do you acquire a 3G license,? was it consistent with the National Communications Authority Act,? he asked.

The minister said per the NCA's regulations, a 3G License is estimated at $28m which was part of the sales agreement. "We will be looking at it," he stated.

Mr Iddrisu explained that "the process of re-engagement is not renegotiation of the agreement" because the government does not want to create the impression that it does not respect contractual agreementS.

Such an impression, he noted could hurt the country's desire to woo foreign investment.

A Law lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ernest Kofi Abotsi had cautioned the government to exercise maximum restraint in carrying out its re-engagement process.

He argued if the process was not properly managed, it could lead to undesirable consequences.

In fulfillment of a campaign promise, the gopvernment set up a ministerial committee to review the sale of government's 70 per cent shares in GT to Vodafone.

The committee finished its work and submitted a report to government a couple of months ago.

The government's official comment on the report contained in a statement and signed by the Chief of Staff, said the government had accepted many of the recommendations of the committee.

The statement added the government was going to re-engage with Vodafone on certain areas of the deal.

Play the attached audio for the arguments of Mr Merrs Iddrisu and Abotsi.




Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana