Resolve dispute between Telecom Malaysia and Ghana Government - GT

Accra, Feb.4, GNA - Mr Oystin Boyje, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Telecom (GT) on Friday called for the early resolution of the dispute between Ghana Government and Telecom Malaysia over its 30 per cent stake in Ghana Telecom (GT) to enable the Company to carry out its "roll out" plans.

He said the dispute had halted GT plans to increase cell phone lines to 750,000 and fixed lines to 400,000 which should have been completed in 2005 but it now had to be completed in the later part of 2006.

The CEO said this when Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, CEO of Commonwealth Telecommunication Organization (CTO), paid a courtesy call on Mr Boyje to brief him about current opportunities that existed at CTO and to find out more about current operations of GT.

Mr Boyje said GT was working on attitudinal change among its workers toward work to accelerate the growth of the Company. He said the opening of "Care 4 U Centres" at all GT offices was aimed at improving on customer service.

He said GT was working towards upgrading its training institution into a tertiary one and to possibly open it up to the public. Mr Spio-Garbrah said the CTO had moved from just an organization to a regulatory institution and a facilitator for other telecom operators in the world.

He called for infrastructure ownership by one Company where other independent operators could pull resources from rather than each company trying to operate independently.

Mr Spio-Garbrah said the CTO existed for its members to tap on its resources to help in the growth of their organizations. "Competition in the telecom sector in the country would enhance efficiency and go a long way to reduce cost of making calls in the country, " he said.

He said CTO had improving the livelihood of people in the rural areas through communication as one of its priorities. He called on Ghana Telecom to take advantage of the opportunities that existed at the CTO for its members.