MTN rates Ghana second...in West, Central Africa regions

MS MAWUENA Dumor, Corporate Services Executive of Multi Telecommunications Network (MTN), the leading African telecommunications company, says Ghana is strategically important to the company, in its bid to become the global leader in the emerging market.

Ms. Dumor announced, at an Editors' Forum in Kumasi last Saturday that Ghana was rated third on the MTN global operations, spanning 21 countries in South, West and Central Africa the Middle East, North and East Africa.

Nigeria leads in MTN operations, in all its three regions, with Ghana and South Africa trailing.

She disclosed as well that Ghana rated second, after Nigeria, among nine countries, when it comes to the West and Central African (WECA) region.

At the time of MTN's entry into the Ghanaian market last year, the company, which has  a total of 68.4 million subscribers in its operational regions, was holding 52% of the mobile telephone market in Ghana, with a total subscription of 2,924 (9%), as at March 2007, thus ranking third in West and Central Africa region of its operations then.

Last year, MTN injected $200 million to import technology to enhance network quality and capacity in Ghana, in order to effectively roll out in Ghana.

The Corporate Services Executive said in fulfillment of MTN's commitment to provide world class telecommunications service, the company had increased the number of cell sites across the country, from 500 in August 2006, to 1,200 presently, to improve service and coverage.

She said in the years ahead, MTN would increase capacity to 2,500 cell sites, to provide network quality at a time it is receiving 5,000 subscribers on a daily basis.

Ms. Dumor said under the MTN Ghana Foundation, which was launched in November 2007, the company was focusing on the two areas of health and education, and that while the Health flagship project and that of the Education flagship project were yet to be launched.

The said projects, which came as a corporate social responsibility requirement, and with the intent to become a “good corporate citizen,” would be implemented in consultation with the Ghana Education Service (GES), and the Ministry of Health (MOH), as major stakeholders.

The MTN Foundation, into which the company contributes 1% of all its profits after tax, to enhance socio-economic development programmes, to drive its corporate social responsibilities, as well as help to explore opportunities for partnership in its operations, generally focuses on education, health, economic empowerment, music, arts and culture.

Meanwhile, MTN has congratulated the national soccer team, the Black Stars, describing the 3-0 victory over their Libyan counterparts, as a show of utter mastery over the game of football.

Mr. George Andah, Chief Marketing Officer, said the Stars' initial victory was “an indication of the team's preparedness to go through the qualifying series with ease, and launch a strong campaign during the FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa.”

He said having been at the forefront of sponsorship of the African Cup of Nations, which gave the MTN the opportunity to parade African excellence, MTN, which is the main sponsor of the FIFA World Cup, would continue to support the Black Stars in the qualifying series, and their participation in the World Cup.

Last Friday, MTN presented an amount of GH¢25,000 to the Black Stars, as part of its contractual obligation to the national team.

Mr. Andah assured that MTN would rally the support of Ghanaians, to ensure that the Black Stars qualify to represent the nation, and Africa, in South Africa in 2010.

MTN has since last week Thursday, launched its Global FIFA 2010 World Country Activation Plan, during which the MTN's FIFA campaign theme of “One Spirit, One Game, One African Sponsor, and logos, were outdoored.