Vodafone Ghana Prepares To Boom

DAVID VENN, the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Telecom/Vodafone, has affirmed his outfit's commitment to transforming the country's telecommunications sector within the next five years.

Speaking at his maiden meeting with the press Thursday in Accra, Mr Venn said Vodafone Ghana would tap into the Vodafone Group's wide range of services to replicate same in the local market particularly with state-of-the-art equipment and technology.

Also, he said Vodafone Ghana intends to transform itself into a formidable world class telecommunications company that would bring unprecedented services into the local market so as to earn the respect and trust of Ghanaians.

Vodafone Ghana, he continued, has invested in equipment and technology as well as staff skill improvement.

“As part of measures to put Vodafone at the head of the telecom industry, 800 of the local staff members have been sent on various courses both in the country and abroad and 45 management staff members have also been sent to Vodafone operations around the world to acquire skills.”

A former head of Celltel Zambia, Mr Venn, mentioning how he intends to personally drive the company into success noted that he preferred training, developing and working with a committed local management team to achieve best results.

In the not too distant future, he said, Vodafone plans to enter into agreement with other local competitors to erect their transmission equipment on a single mast to save costs and also promote environmental cleanliness in some particular locations.

Vodafone International Plc, the world's leading mobile telecommunications group reached an agreement with the Government of Ghana, signed on July 3, this year, after several weeks of deliberations to acquire 70 percent stake in GT.  

This was after the Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) has been forwarded to Parliament for ratification.  On the 14th of August 2008 after a number heated debates both on the floor of Parliament and in the media, the deal was approved for government to offload 70 percent of its shares in Ghana Telecom to Vodafone for $900 million.

Ghana Telecom's operating license currently allows it to render communication services such as voice telephony, cellular communication, satellite communications, value-added services, sale, lease and maintenance of subscriber premise wiring and internet connectivity.

Until Venn's advent, Dickson Oduro-Nyaning, was CEO of the company.

By Samuel Boadi