Telecel Merger Job Security: Minister Assures AT Staff

The Communication Minister, Samuel Nartey George, recently gave his assurance. He promised telecel merger job security for staff at AT. The minister spoke at AT’s head office in Accra. In fact, he announced the government’s plans. They will merge the company with Telecel Ghana. The minister confirmed all 300 permanent employees will keep their jobs. Therefore, they will continue working for the new entity. “This is not a re-application process,” the minister said. “It is a continuation of your contracts.” Furthermore, he promised to absorb every staff member. However, this only applies unless they choose to leave.

The minister explained the merger’s reasoning. AT was in a poor financial state. The company lost over $10 million in just eight months. Consequently, the government could not sustain the losses. “These losses are funded by taxpayers,” the minister stated. “That is money that should be building roads, water systems, and schools.” Therefore, a merger was the only solution. It will cut costs. In addition, it will make the new company more competitive. The minister emphasized the logic. “It makes no sense for two networks to operate separately on the same tower,” he stressed. This practice meant both companies paid twice. On the other hand, the merger is a smart and sustainable choice. This consolidation promises better service for customers. Furthermore, it eases the financial burden on the public.

Hon. Sam George also revealed some progress. Over 3.2 million AT subscribers have already moved. They are now on Telecel’s network. This happened through a national roaming arrangement. Indeed, the minister called this process “98% smooth.” Moreover, he outlined three stages for the full integration. The first stage is technical migration. It is nearly complete. The second is human resources alignment. All employees will be absorbed by September’s end. Finally, commercial restructuring will follow. This will happen within 120 days. The minister also mentioned a new investment. The merged operator will need $600 million over four years. The government will contribute resources. These will come from spectrum sales. Likewise, Telecel and other partners will also co-invest. This telecel merger job security promise gives staff peace of mind.

Source: Emmanuel Sarpong, Ameyaw Debrah TV