Vodafone Ghana is on the verge of a rebrand, signaling a shift to Telecel Ghana, according to a recent social media post.
This move follows the National Communication Authority’s approval of Telecel’s acquisition of Vodafone Ghana a year ago.
In 2023, Joe Anokye, the Director-General of NCA, confirmed Telecel’s majority shareholder status, with the Government of Ghana holding a 30% minority stake via the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA).
After operating under the Vodafone brand for an extended period, the impending rebranding is set to redefine the company’s identity in the telecommunications sector.
The impending rebranding of Vodafone to Telecel coincides with MTN Ghana recently being designated as a Significant Market Power (SMP), a move aimed at fostering a more equitable playing field within the industry.
Over the past two years, this designation for MTN Ghana has resulted in asymmetrical savings of GH¢86.6 million for smaller Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).
The SMP designation, among other objectives, seeks to level the competitive landscape, curbing the company’s influence over profit margins, tariff regulations, and potentially creating barriers for new entrants or smaller players in the market.
Currently holding an 18% share of the mobile telephony market, Vodafone Ghana anticipates that the introduction of Telecel will contribute to a notable expansion in its market presence.
Minister of Communication and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has denied rumors that the government has sold its 30% stake in Vodafone Ghana.
“Mr. Speaker, the Government of Ghana has no plans to sell its thirty percent (30%) shareholding in the Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited,” Ursula responded categorically to the question. Vodafone Ghana transferred its seventy percent (70% stake in the company to the Telecel Group in February 2023.”
The Minister Clarifies Government’s Stance on Vodafone Ghana Shares Transfer
The minister’s clarification comes in response to a query from the Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Defeamekpor, who inquired about the government’s intentions regarding the sale of its shares in Vodafone Ghana.
The National Communications Authority (NCA) has granted the ultimate approval for the transfer of the 70 percent majority shares in Vodafone Ghana (Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited) from Vodafone Group Plc to Telecel Group.
In a release on February 21, 2023, the National Communications Authority (NCA) explained that the final approval follows “satisfaction of conditions outlined in the conditional approval of the shares transfer, including the agreement of the Government of Ghana, who remains the 30% minority shareholder.”
On January 16, 2023, the National Communications Authority (NCA) had announced its conditional approval for the transfer of the 70 percent majority shares in Vodafone Ghana from Vodafone Group Plc (the Seller) to Telecel Group (the Buyer).
The approval was granted following an evaluation of the revised proposal from the Telecel Group. The conditions included concessions from the Seller and representations made by the Buyer to the NCA.
The regulator emphasized its commitment to overseeing the takeover process in alignment with Vodafone Ghana’s existing license conditions, ensuring that consumer interests remain a top priority.
Vodafone Ghana has introduced a significant enhancement to its current 4G technology, known as 4G+.
This upgrade promises to provide customers with an elevated network speed, enhancing their overall service experience.
The Technology Director at Vodafone Ghana, Aatif Jamal Qidwai, elaborated on the significance of this advancement.
“4G+ is not just a technical upgrade; it is about reshaping the online experience for our users. We are setting the stage for a transformative leap in mobile connectivity for Ghanaians, providing them faster download and upload speeds on 4G” he stated.
Aatif clarified that 4G+ employs a technique known as carrier aggregation. This method enables compatible 4G mobile phones to merge multiple 4G frequency bands, significantly enhancing the speed at which users can download or stream content.
“We are currently rolling out 4G+ on most of our existing sites.”
In practical terms, Vodafone’s customers using 4G+-enabled devices can anticipate a significant boost in their internet speeds. This enhancement carries promising implications for the customer experience, translating to smoother video calls, faster app downloads, and reduced buffering times when using streaming services.
Demonstrating its dedication to ensuring widespread access to this improved speed, Vodafone is launching a device financing program. Through this scheme, customers can acquire 4G+-capable phones from Vodafone’s retail outlets and pay for them in manageable installments. Furthermore, these phones come with a complimentary 2.5GB of data every month for a duration of 12 months.
This expansion comes at a time when digital connectivity is increasingly crucial. Beginning with urban centers, where the demand for high-speed data is most pronounced, Vodafone intends to extend this network enhancement across the entire nation. This initiative aligns with the company’s commitment to championing digital inclusivity in Ghana, ensuring that reliable internet access becomes a reality for all.
Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone Ghana, Patricia Obo-Nai, reflecting on this, remarked, “We are so pleased with this fantastic upgrade; 4G+ is a major improvement to the experience that we give to our customers.
“This aligns with our vision of enabling a digital society where people, businesses and communities can connect seamlessly, and we will continue to do more and give more to our customers.”
Vodafone Ghana Mobile Financial Services Limited, known as Vodafone Cash, has introduced a convenient way for prepaid customers to make payments for ECG (Electricity Company of Ghana) services.
Starting from Thursday, August 17, 2023, Vodafone Cash customers who have smart meters can easily purchase prepaid electricity by using the *110# USSD code.
The process is straightforward and user-friendly. Customers only need to dial *110#, then select option 4 (Make Payments), followed by option 1 (Pay Bill).
Afterward, they can choose option 3 (Utilities), then select option 2 for ECG payments, and simply follow the provided prompts.
Additionally, customers have the flexibility to register up to two meters, allowing them to select their preferred meter for payment. They can input the desired amount and confirm the transaction with a personal PIN.
While this service is currently accessible via *110#, Vodafone Ghana has plans to extend this payment feature to its MyVodafoneApp (MVA), further enhancing the convenience of electricity payments across multiple platforms.
“This initiative represents our commitment to leverage technology to make everyday transactions seamless for our customers and we are delighted to offer this convenience to all Vodafone Cash customers,” said Philip Amoateng, Director for Vodafone Cash.
A Ghanaian gospel singer, Joe Mettle, has stated that he regrets not taking his music lessons seriously during his school days.
In a recent interview, he revealed that he didn’t prioritize his music course due to a lack of intention to pursue it at the time.
“I think I should have taken my music lessons seriously when I was in school. At that time, I didn’t know I would be taking it up one day so I didn’t take it seriously. That is one regret I have in life,” he said.
With a remarkable musical journey, Joe Mettle has released seven albums and garnered numerous awards. He made history as the first Gospel artiste to win the prestigious Artiste of the Year at the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) in 2017.
Joe Mettle also expressed contentment with his identity and the path that God has chosen for him.
He affirmed his love for who he is and embraced the purpose and assignment that God has entrusted to him.
He also had a word of gratitude to his fans: “I want to say thank you for supporting the gift and ministry God has given me. I believe that ministry is about people. So if they don’t support you, you have no ministry. Thank you for the prayers, the thoughts and everything you do to support what God has called me to do”.
The Royal Golf Club in Kumasi, Ghana, came alive today as the 66th Asantehene Golf Tournament teed off amidst the vibrant atmosphere of the Vodafone Ghana Ashanti Month.
As the proud sponsor of the event, Vodafone Ghana reaffirmed its commitment to promoting sports, healthy lifestyles, and sustainable development in the region.
Throughout the month of June, Vodafone Ghana has been actively engaged in its Ashanti Month campaign, demonstrating its dedication to the Ashanti Region.
The campaign encompasses a range of activities designed to support local businesses, reward customer loyalty, and drive sustainable development.
The highly anticipated Asantehene Golf Tournament attracted a diverse group of golf enthusiasts, including both amateurs and professionals. The tournament commenced with a ceremonial tee-off, featuring Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the esteemed Asantehene, and Patricia Obo-Nai, the CEO of Vodafone Ghana.
This symbolic act further solidified the strong bond between Vodafone and the Ashanti Kingdom.
In addition to their participation in the golf tournament, Vodafone Ghana employees are actively involved in various initiatives that underscore the company’s commitment to the region. These include a courtesy call, an exclusive customer dinner, and several corporate social responsibility activities aimed at promoting long-term health, education, and sustainability outcomes in the area.
Among these initiatives is Healthfest, a free health screening program, Homecoming, an effort to settle bills for financially distressed hospital patients, and the provision of free ultrasounds for pregnant women in Pipie, located in the Bosomtwe district.
The 66th Asantehene Golf Tournament will culminate in the grand Royal Dinner on June 17th, graciously hosted by the Asantehene himself. This gala event will honor the tournament’s winners and add an extra touch of splendor to the festivities.
The tournament, coupled with the Vodafone Ghana Ashanti Month, represents a magnificent celebration of sports, customer engagement, and corporate social responsibility. These endeavors are all part of a collective commitment to fostering sustainable development in the Ashanti region and leaving a positive impact on the local community.
About 11 million active Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards that have not been re-registered with the Ghana Card yet risk being disconnected today, Wednesday, May 31.
Following this development, hundreds of people, majority of whom are trying to register their SIMs for the first time, have thronged some National Identification Authority (NIA) centres in a desperate attempt to secure their Ghana Card.
The national card is the only prerequisite identification document admissible for the completion of the re-registration of SIM cards.
When the Daily Graphic visited some of the NIA centres, including the Premium Centre of the authority at its head office at Shiashie, Accra and other premium centres in some regions, there were long queues of last-minute card acquirers dashing to complete the process.
Many of the subscribers had come to link their Ghana Card with their SIM cards to satisfy the NCA requirement before the May 31 deadline.
While the centre with the capacity to process 650 applications sees no crowds, the long queues at the place has compelled the NIA to erect canopies outside its halls to accommodate the increasing numbers.
The Executive Secretary of NIA, Professor Ken Agyeman Attafuah, expressed regret that such a large number of people would rush to pay a premium fee of GH¢280 for a service they could have accessed for free a few weeks back.
He said it was the attitude of some people to relax in obtaining the Ghana Card until the deadlines were near.
Prof. Attafuah said based on its daily operational capacity, including that of its key partners, CAL Bank, coupled with limited cards at the moment, the NIA would not be able to issue all the people calling at its premium centres with cards.
“At the moment, given the reality and the debt owed the private partners, the public needing the service are finding recourse to the premium registration service not by laid down procedures, but by the zest and urgency of their needs and we are trying to cope with this,” he explained.
The NIA Executive Secretary said the authority had a daily capacity of about 650 at its head office and a little less of that at other premium centres, making it impossible to issue the thousands of people applying for the cards before the SIM card re-registration deadline yesterday.
He explained, however, that since the deadline was due, the NIA had to mobilise additional hands to serve all the applicants at its head office premium centre yesterday.
Prof. Attefuah said apart from NIA offices where the Ghana Card services could be accessed for free, additional registration points were established with the approach of the SIM card re-registration deadlines to ease the pressure.
“As a responsive state institution, we take no delight in seeing Ghanaians going through the anguish of queuing. So we made these opportunities and facilities available in anticipation that people would take advantage for free,” Prof. Attafuah said.
However, he said it had become the phenomenon that any time the deadline was extended, people became lackadaisical making most of the centres “ghost towns”.
“We see a phenomenon where anytime the deadline for the SIM card re-registration was extended, the additional re-registration points plus the traditional NIA offices become ghost towns and whenever the deadline is approaching then we have a situation of an avalanche of demands and in some cases people stampeding even though this is at a cost,” he pointed out.
Premium service
Prof. Attafuah said although the premium service required booking, the NIA, looking at the high demand due to the deadline, had opened its doors to the hundreds of people to help them beat the deadline even though they had not booked appointments.
He said the NIA had brought in canopies and chairs to accommodate the extra load of numbers and give them some comfort.
“It is a regrettable situation but it is the reality and we have to deal with it. It is unfortunate that so many people have to be in the sun and queue for so long for a paid for service that had been traditionally and customarily available to the public at no cost,” Prof. Attafuah said.
Extension
The Public Relations Manager of AirtelTigo, Felicia Thornhill, told the Daily Graphic that a lot more subscribers of AritelTigo visited its premises to begin the re-registration exercise yesterday, unlike the previous weeks and months preceding the May 31 deadline.
She said to help get all subscribers registered to avoid deactivation which would not benefit the business, the company had deployed most of its staff to the field to assist subscribers in the re-registration exercise.
Each staff has also been tasked to reach about 10 subscribers yet to complete the registration to remind them of the exercise and assist them to complete it.
“It will affect our business and so an extension would be appreciated as we have more customers who are yet to complete the registration exercise,” Ms Thornhill said.
Context
At the inception of the SIM re-registration exercise on October 1, 2021, there were about 42 million active SIM cards in the country.
They were made up of SIM cards registered with identity cards (IDs) such as the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards, passports, driving licence, among others.
The National Communications Authority at whose behest the re-registration started, said a lot of the IDs were not verified at the time they were used to register the SIMs.
After the first phase of the exercise, there were about 36 million active SIM cards in circulation as of last month, out of which 25 million (69.6 per cent) have been duly reregistered.
This means that over 25.4 million SIM cards had completed both stages one and two of the SIM re-registration which was done with verified Ghana Cards.
The remaining 11 million, representing 30. 4 per cent, include active SIM cards exempted based on various demographics and active SIM cards that have not been registered with the Ghana Card using the current process.
Already the NCA has deactivated about 6.1 million SIM cards which belonged to subscribers that had completed only stage one of the current registration process.
Tomorrow’s deadline for SIM cards re-registration follows a similar announcement of mass disconnection of unregistered SIM cards before April 17, 2023.
At the time, about 33.8 million, representing 79. 60 per cent had completed only the first phase of linking their Ghana Cards with the SIM cards, while 8.65 million subscribers, representing 20.40 per cent, had not linked their Ghana cards to their SIM cards.
The NCA, therefore, extended the deadline to rope in all subscribers.
Subscribers of mobile telecommunications networks in the country who are yet to register their SIM cards have been given a final deadline to register their cards for face sanctions.
The major telecommunication networks are encouraging all subscribers who have acquired their Ghana Cards to complete their SIM card registration by Monday, April 17.
Those who have registered more than 10 SIMs have also been directed to visit their nearest mobile network operator “to urgently verify their SIMs on record”.
This follows a directive from the National Communications Authority (NCA) to telecommunication networks to remove subscribers who are yet to register after the March 31 final deadline by Monday, April 17.
A press release issued by the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications noted how its members – AirtelTigo, MTN and Vodafone – have heavily invested in arrangements to ensure that subscribers who have their Ghana Cards and are ready to register do so at several touchpoints set up across the country.
The Chamber, therefore, said it will be complying with the directive of the NCA to completely deactivate all impacted subscriber SIMs “which have not completed the registration by the said date without any further notice or extension of time for subscribers”.
“It is important that the cherished customers of the networks are not barred from using voice, data, USSD, mobile money services and continue to have access to emergency and other important services.
“Subscribers with Ghana cards can avoid this inconvenience by completing stage 2 (the biometric capture) of the registration process.”
In response to a recent direction from the National Communications Authority (NCA) about the ongoing SIM re-registration process, the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications announced that it will abide by the directive.
In a statement, theChamber said its members have been blocking services of subscribers who have not completed both stages of the SIM registration process as directed by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation since November 2022.
The NCA in a statement dated April 13, 2023, directed that all disconnected SIMs must be delinked from all databases by April 17, 2023.
This includes SIMs blocked in November 2022 for failing to complete both stages of the SIM registration process.
Additionally, all SIM cards registered after the limit of 10 per individual will be delinked, deactivated and removed from all databases by Monday, April 17, 2023.
The Chamber of Telecommunication is thus encouraging subscribers who have acquired Ghana cards but are yet to complete registration to do so before April 17, 2023.
It also urged subscribers with more than 10 SIMs registered to themselves to verify their SIMs on record at their nearest mobile network operator’s service centres urgently.
Furthermore, the Chamber stated that its members are obligated to completely deactivate all impacted subscriber SIMs which have not completed the registration by the said date without any further notice or extension of time for subscribers.
“It is crucial that the networks’ cherished customers are not barred from using voice, data, USSD, mobile money services and continue to have access to emergency and other important services.”
The Chamber added that subscribers with Ghana cards could avoid inconvenience by completing stage 2 (the biometric capture) of the registration process.
It emphasized that since the start of the SIM Registration Exercise, the members of the Chamber have invested heavily in arrangements to ensure that subscribers who have their Ghana cards and are ready to register, get registered at any of our several touchpoints across the country.
“For those that require special assistance to carry out the registration exercise, they are advised to contact their service provider.”
“Our members remain committed to supporting the efforts of all stakeholders to ensure that every customer in every part of the country is able to register their SIM card(s) with the Ghana card.”
The National Communications Authority (NCA) has instructed telecom companies to ensure that all SIM cards that have been disconnected are deleted from the registration databases.
The SIMs removed from the databases of the various network according to the NCA should reflect in the Central SIM Register by Monday, April 17, 2023.
The NCA’s directive, which provides clarity on earlier directives dated 6th April 2023, 11th April 2023, and 20th March 2023, stipulates that this should include SIMs that remain blocked in compliance with the Communication Minister’s directive on 30th November 2022.
Telecom operators have also been instructed to provide in writing to the NCA by Tuesday, 18th April 2023, the total number of SIMs disconnected in compliance with the directive.
Furthermore, the NCA has directed that “all SIMs registered after the limit of ten (10) must be removed from SIM registration databases and deactivated, with the same reflected in the Central SIM Register by Monday, 17th April 2023.”
The NCA has stressed that non-compliance with these directives would be in violation of Regulation 1 of the Subscriber Identity Module Registration Regulations, 2011.
“We count on your usual cooperation,” the NCA added.
The Telecel group’s management has assured Vodafone employees that there won’t be any layoffs as it takes over the business.
This follows the National Communications Authority’s approval for the transfer of the 70 per cent majority shares in Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited (Vodafone Ghana) held by Vodafone International Holdings B.V. to Telecel Group.
There has been uneasy calm amongst the staff of Vodafone over their job security since the news of the takeover was approved.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Citi Business News, the co-founder and Director of the Board of Telecel Group, Nicolas Bourg, stated that there is no cause for concern.
“Not at all, we don’t have any plans to lay off anybody. That’s not the way we operate in Telecel. We proved it with different organisations that we have in different sectors.”
“Our plan is to keep every employee of Vodafone.” He stressed.
Last year, Vodafone Ghana applied to the NCA to transfer 70 per cent of its majority shares to Telecel but this did not pull through after it failed to meet regulatory requirements.
The Authority indicated earlier this year that the clearance was conditional on both sides making concessions and was issued in response to the assessment of the Telecel Group’s revised proposal.
The statement added that “Following the NCA’s decision, the buyer resubmitted a revised financial and technical proposal in December 2022 which demonstrated the needed capital investment to extend the deployment of 4G and launch innovative Fintech solutions,” the statement read in part.
“The NCA found that the revised proposal provided more clarity and certainty in terms of the funding required for the acquisition and commitments from both the Seller and buyer. In addition, the buyer has strengthened the overall governance and management team, and made firm commitments toward meeting the regulatory requirements of the NCA,” it further indicated.
Based on this, the NCA determined that the Purchaser’s revised plan now satisfies regulatory requirements, and as a result, it gave conditional approval for the transfer of shares to the buyer, subject to the filing of a staff retention strategy.
Mr Bourg expressed delight at the progress made.
“We’re very happy about it. It’s been a year of talking with them (NCA) for us to fit their needs and today we are in a very constructive state of mind with them.”
Vodafone Ghanahas launched a community safety campaign called “100% Home Safe” to help reduce road accidents among commercial drivers ahead of the Christmas holiday season.
During the event, Vodafone Ghana collaborated with the National Road Safety Authority, the Motor Traffic and Transport Department, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, and the Road Safety Transport Corporation to educate drivers on road safety and responsible behaviour.
Speaking at the event, Ashiokai Akrong, Human Resource Director at Vodafone Ghana, stated that the initiative will assist drivers and other road users in adopting behaviours that ensure they arrive home safely before, during, and after the Christmas season.
“Safety is both a priority and a core value at Vodafone Ghana; it is ingrained in all of our projects and activities,” she said.
“100% Home Safe” means that all employees, suppliers, and contractors of Vodafone must take steps to make sure that all their workers get home safely 100% of the time.
She went on to talk about how Vodafone’s commitment to health and safety has helped the company over the years. “Since 2020, Vodafone Ghana, our suppliers, and contractors have had no vehicle-related injuries or deaths,” she said.
“We want our communities to adopt this perspective for our mutual benefit. So, we have launched this road safety campaign to urge drivers and other road users to adopt behaviours that will guarantee that we all arrive home safely every single time,” she added.
She also announced one of Vodafone Ghana’s initiatives to motivate motorists to practise safe driving habits throughout the year.
“As part of our commitment to “‘100% Home Safe’, Vodafone Ghana will award a prize to the driver with the best safety record at the GPRTU awards and the National Road Safety Authority awards.”
Felix Owusu, the Greater Accra Planning Manager for the National Road Safety Authority, praised Vodafone Ghana for channelling its resources to help reduce road accidents in Ghana.
It is expected that some network subscribers will be blocked from accessing data services from their network providers from today, November 20.
These are subscribers who have linked their SIM cards to their Ghana Cards but have not done the second phase of the registration process.
Ahead of November 20, some network providers via text messages reminded their subscribers yet to re-register their SIM cards to do so.
This forms part of measures introduced by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation to ensure all SIM cards are re-registered in the country.
In a statement issued on Friday, November 11, Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, announced that effective November 30, all unregistered SIM cards will be deactivated.
“Despite the ample opportunity afforded all to complete the registration of their SIM cards, some who have the Ghana Cards and have begun the process have failed to complete the registration. That is their choice and we cannot begrudge them,” the Minister argued.
The SIM card re-registration exercise began in October 2021. Since then, there have been about four deadline extensions due to the low number of re-registered SIM cards.
Currently, a total of 30,011,082 SIM cards have been linked to Ghana Cards, thereby completing the first phase of the registration process.
As of November 9, 20,892,970 subscribers had completed both the linkage and capture of their biometric data.
Vodafone Ghana Foundation, as part of its, corporate social investment, is sponsoring this year’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) awards.
Dubbed ‘STEM Teacher of the Year Awards’, the programme slated for October 7, 2022 and to be held at Academic City in Accra, is meant to recognise and reward teachers from the sixteen regions who were using innovative approaches to teach science.
To be held on the theme “Rewarding Impactful Service,” the programme formed part of the Instant Schools platform, a programme which provides opportunity for teachers and students to download Ghana Education Service curriculum and educational materials from the internet.
Speaking at the launch of the award in Accra yesterday, the Deputy Director-General of Ghana Education Service, in charge of Quality and Access, Dr Kwabena Bempah Tandoh, lauded Vodafone Ghana Foundation for its efforts to promote STEM education in the country.
He said STEM education was critical to the development of the country and urged STEM teachers to take keen interest in the award.
Dr Tandoh emphasised that the government’s agenda to promote STEM education could not be achieved without innovative teachers to teach STEM subjects.
He said teachers with disability teaching STEM subjects would be honoured.
Dr Tandoh stated that the ultimate winner would receive a laptop, modem and one year free internet subscription from Vodafone Ghana, the second winner would receive tablet, modem and six months free internet subscription and the third winner would receive a tablet, modem and three months free internet from Vodafone Ghana.
The Head of Vodafone Ghana Foundation, Reverend Amaris Nana Adjei Perbi, said he was very ecstatic about the launch of another impressive educational initiative for the Ghanaian populace.
He said the STEM Teacher of the Year Awards was targeted at teachers in Ghana and would have ripple effect on the country’s education value chain.
Rev. Amaris said the Vodafone Ghana Foundation remained committed to its mandate for the execution of a highly impactful range of educational initiatives in the country every year.
“The STEM Teacher Awards acknowledges and recognises the hard work, diversity and creativity of teachers from the basic level to the senior high school level,” he said.
The awards, he said, would offer the teachers an opportunity to showcase the various methods through which they incorporate the teaching and learning of STEM to their main curriculum.
He said the top 16 most engaging entries would be shortlisted as finalists for the awards programme and automatically they would receive a backpack award with STEM sets.
Rev. Amaris the winner would become an Instant Schools Ambassador who would join the winner from the Literacy Challenge to drive the Instant Schools Virtual Learning Platform across the communities we visit in Ghana.
The Director of Science Education of Ghana Education Service, Mrs Olivia Serwaa Opare, said the programme had been timely, saying “We are happy to have this programme at this moment.”
She encouraged teachers to take active interest in the programme to be rewarded.
We are aware of the unfortunate event that led to the death of Mr. Michael Yaw Twum Ampofo at Ashaley Botwe, Greater Accra, on 19th February 2021. We are saddened by the incident and have extended our heartfelt condolences to the family.
We have cooperated fully and transparently with all the relevant agencies throughout the investigation process.
On 22nd October 2021, the authorised representative of the deceased initiated legal action against Vodafone Ghana. The matter is currently in court and we are accordingly unable to make any further comment at this time.
Vodafone Ghana will continue to deploy our infrastructure under strict safety procedures and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.
The workers have demanded, among other things, the immediate recall of all targeted members of the Telecom and IT Professionals Union (TIP) whose contracts have not been renewed by the employers by mere association with the Union and other Union leaders who are members of the current Joint Standing Negotiation Committee and Subcommittee negotiating the 2022 CA and salary increment. This demand was made in a statement dated August 31, 2022, which GhanaWeb was able to obtain.
“The Telecom and IT Professionals Union (TIP), made up of telecom engineers, technicians, I.T professionals, and other allied workers, who manage the key technical operations for the telecom operators, has served notice to the National Labour Commission (NLC) and their employers to embark on strike action in response to the direct attack by the employers at the leadership of the Union (From National, Regional and Branch) that has threatened the very existence of the Union and its members,†part of the statement read.
According to the union, these four employers – Linfra Ghana Limited, MP Infrastructure Ghana Limited, Reime Ghana Limited, and Reliance Personal Services – who are subcontractors and employment agencies of Huawei Technologies on the managed service operations of MTN, Vodafone, and AirtelTigo, have refused to sign a joint letter with the Union to refer to the pending issues that all parties have declared deadlock on since July 2022.
The pending items are as follows:
a. Determination of the Principal employer and the role of the principal employer in the employment relationship.
b. Provisions to re-negotiate to restore equilibrium in the CA.
c. Severance.
d. Professional Subscription Fees.
e. Workload and Working Tools (Laptops, Mobile phones, Data bundle and airtime, and Pickup vehicles).
f. Proposed Forty-five (45%) salary increment for 2022.
The group further noted that Ghana’s telecommunications system would be left on autopilot until its needs are addressed.
Vodafone Plc, the parent company of Vodafone Ghana, in a bid to focus on key markets has agreed on a sale of its operations in Ghana to Telecel Group.
A spokesperson for Vodafone Ghana said the majority stake will be sold to Africa-focused Telecel, subject to certain conditions.
According to a Bloomberg report, confidential sources say Telecel plans to help fund the acquisition of the company by offloading the its mobile towers.
Vodafone paid $900 million to the government of Ghana for a 70% stake in the company while the government maintains a 30% stake.
Telecel currently operates in more than 30 countries and employs over 700 staff, according to its website.
It has struck deals in Gibraltar, Liberia, and Mauritania in recent years.
Vodafone Ghana in partnership with StarLife Assurance Company has launched a travel companion for its Vodafone Cash subscribers following the launch of its recent Vodafone Cash Agent Insurance product.
The unique product, Vodafone travel companion, has been designed to insure customers against death, permanent disability and hospital admissions, which result from a car, train or ferry accident.
Speaking at the launch, Martison Obeng-Agyei, Head of Vodafone Cash said, “According to the National Road Safety Commission, over 1, 250 Ghanaians lost their lives between January and July, just this year; and over 7,000 Ghanaians were injured during this period. Accidents are inevitable and it is always important to plan for the unexpected. At Vodafone, innovation runs through the very fabric of our organisation. In a fast moving industry like ours, you do not rest on your laurels hence the need to launch this pioneering initiative, our insurance product for our customers.â€
“This product will definitely redefine insurance product development in the industry and the country at large. Customers have options to choose daily, weekly or monthly premium payment plans.
Travel Companion has seven unique insurance products. For as little as Ghc 5.50 monthly a customer is entitled to a cover worth Ghc 1500; Ghc 500 should they be admitted at the hospital, Ghc 500 should they suffer any disability, and 500 cedis should they pass away, touchwood. Customer who desire a heavy cover, can go for the Ghc 39.05 monthly which entitles a customer to a Ghc15, 000 cover; Ghc 5000 should they be admitted at a health facility, Ghc 5000 should they suffer any disability, and 5000 cedis, should they pass away, touchwoodâ€
he explained the product.
For his Head, Group and Distribution for StarLife, Mr Alex Twumasi, said “After a good research on the market, we scanned the market and realised that clients especially those in the informal sector really needed a travel insurance. This has never happened because most of the covers out there go basically for a niche market but we are coming for the mass market; the ordinary mate or seller can easily patronise this policy using the Vodafone Cash platform.â€
Mr. Obeng-Agyei urged Ghanaians to buy the travel insurance policy in this festive season.
“There are millions of people who are going to travel and we hope not but definitely there might be one or two accidents and you can call on StarLife and your claims will be paid to youâ€.
Vodafone Cash has become integral in the promotion of a cash – lite society in Ghana with its varied initiatives and products that continue to excite Ghanaians since its inception in Ghana three years ago. It is currently the only mobile money operator that allows customers to send money from their wallets to other Vodafone Cash wallets without charges.
