Wednesday 4 June 2008

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE MANAGEMENT OF GHANA TELECOM!

I would be most grateful if you could let me know the result of a letter that I wrote asking you to give me a month's credit, to compensate me for having to go elsewhere to browse the web, during the month of April 2008 - because your cell tower at McCarthy Hill was out of service for virtually the whole of that month.

If you did not receive my letter, which I sent to you via the manager of the Dansoman Care 4U centre, then please regard this as an official request for same!

I also wrote an article recently (please google: "ghanapolitics" for that article: "Is GT heading for the slippery slope?"), in which I asked you how you intended to repay the corporate bond issued in London, by Iroko, on your behalf.

Sadly, to date, there has been no response to it, from you - which I think is most unfortunate: especially in the NEPAD era, in which there is supposed to be transparency in all aspects of our national life (or at least that is what our leaders would have us believe!).

I wrote that article, principally because I was rather worried about the antecedents of Iroko - a company which was hived off by its erstwhile Botswanan parent: because it was a loss-making entity. I therefore wondered how they succeeded in finding their way into your company's boardroom! The question many ordinary people are asking today, is: "Just who in Ghana, led them to Ghana Telecom's doorstep?"

And what precisely are your answers to the questions posed in that particular article of mine, if I may ask?

In the post-Enron era of corporate good governance, in which the international community demands transparency and accountability from corporates worldwide, one hopes that answers to those simple questions, will be forthcoming from you, ladies and gentlemen - precisely because you are one of the most highly-rated management teams, in Ghana's telecoms industry, today (and deservedly so - thus far - in my view!).

However, in spite of all the brilliant things you are doing, let me inform you that I intend to speak to the Hon. Alban Bagbin, the leader of the parliamentary minority side - and ask him to get the minority benches in parliament, to invite your good selves to appear before the appropriate committee of parliament, which has oversight responsibility for your sector ministry: to answer all the questions, which I raised in that particular article.

For, I strongly believe that it is in the national interest, that that is done - so that the good people of Ghana can all be reassured that Ghana's best telecoms company, which is also state-owned, and therefore belongs to all the people of Ghana, is on the right track (in strategic terms, financially, i.e.!).


You will all agree with me, I am sure, that clearly, with the level of competition in the mobile phone sector of Ghana's telecoms industry, you will not be looking there for the robust earnings stream, which is necessary for you to have: in order to enable you repay that debt - and still be able to continue reinvesting some of your profits in your business, at the same time, to keep you at the cutting-edge of digital technology: and make GT even more competitive, and thus assure you of the continuing surpluses with which to meet the regular interest payments on those corporate bonds!

If you cannot rely on the mobile phone business to build up sufficient surpluses, is it not logical for any casual observer of the industry, to assume that the only area of potential growth left open to Ghana Telecom, is its broadband service?

Well, it is precisely for that reason, coupled with the nature of the problems I have faced thus far, since I became a "broadband 4u" customer last August, which makes me feel that I have good reason to be extremely worried about your company's future.

So, in the light of all the above, please do assure me that my fears are groundless: by letting me have answers to those questions I posed in that article (which by the way, also appeared in "The Network Herald" newspaper here - as it did "The Insight"too!), to allay my rather grim fears about GT's future.

Well, let me end my short missive to you, by saying: "Over to you, Joe Lartey" - as local parlance has it here in Ghana! Many thanks indeed - and do let me hear from you soon. Best wishes!

PS By the way, it might interest you to know that when I attempted to send you this missive through the appropriate message box on your website earlier today (June 4th 2008), I kept on getting a notice saying the server could not be found - yet, I was actually on your very own http://www.4u.com.gh/ website. Odd, that! Hmm, Ghana, ayeasem oo!

May God bless and protect our homeland Ghana always. Long live freedom! Long live mother Ghana!

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