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The Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has revealed the ministry is burdened with a heap of debts and strangulating contracts, leaving it in dire straits.
He said he was already seeking auditing interventions, among various measures, to contain the situation.
For instance, he announced that the ministry would discontinue the Common Monitoring Platform contract, popularly known as KelniGVG, once its current term expired.
Mr George said the measures were ultimately aimed at restoring financial stewardship within the sector, with a focus on improving accountability and transparency.
Addressing a news conference in Accra yesterday, the minister revealed that a comprehensive financial review of the ministry had uncovered several issues, including unfavourable contract terms and difficulties accessing critical information from service providers.
As a result, he disclosed that some contracts had been referred to the Attorney-General for further investigation.
The KelniGVG contract, which monitors international inbound traffic, he said, had seen a sharp increase in the fees paid by the state, rising from 28 per cent of revenue at the start of the contract in 2018 to 84 per cent by October 2024.
“This means the state is paying far more to monitor the revenue than it retains,” he lamented.
Mr George said he had, therefore, instructed the National Communications Authority (NCA) to take over the revenue assurance platform to reduce reliance on external contractors.
The minister also raised concerns about agreements within the National Information Technology Agency (NITA), particularly regarding payments to Sawtel Ltd and Dataceum Ltd.
Despite not being directly contracted by NITA, he said those firms had been receiving monthly payments, and the ministry was assessing the situation to determine whether to continue with these firms or to seek more cost-effective solutions.
Additionally, Mr George addressed concerns related to Smart Infraco (Lebara Ghana Ltd) and the Government Infrastructure Agreement.
He stated that an audit revealed that NITA had been denied access to infrastructure it legally owned, including the Data Centre Facility and Network Operations Centre.
“The ministry shall engage directly with Smart Infraco to compel immediate payment of all outstanding amounts (including $6 million in initial and annual fees and revenue shares), invoking penalty and termination clauses as necessary to protect government interests,” he said.
“To the people of Ghana, I offer this assurance: I will get to the bottom of these issues and act decisively to restore sound financial stewardship in the ministry,” the minister added.
Mr George, who is also the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram in the Greater Accra Region, further revealed that as part of the government’s “Operation Recover All Loot” initiative, he had directed the National Communications Authority to conduct audits of broadcasting frequencies.
The first phase of this audit, he said, identified non-compliance, resulting in a penalty tax of GH¢9.5 million, and several instances that required immediate corrective action.
“The government is committed to taking the necessary action to ensure rectification of the instances of non-compliance,” he said.
The Communication Minister further criticised the previous government’s acquisition of AirtelTigo, rebranded as AT, for $1, calling it “ill-informed and reckless” and “an abdication of responsibility to the best interest of Ghana” because at the time, the company had $400 million in debt and was struggling financially.
He, however, stated that after restructuring, the debt was now $200 million, with the company still losing GH¢20 million monthly.
Mr George assured the public of ongoing negotiations with creditors to ensure the company’s survival.
Touching on the launch of the One Million Coders Programme, the minister emphasised the significance of digital skills in driving the country’s economic growth and enhancing its global competitiveness.
“The ministry will launch the programme with a pilot covering Greater Accra, Ashanti, Bono, and Upper East regions on April 16, with over 500 people from Accra, Bolga, Sunyani, and Kumasi expected to participate in the launch.
“The programme is inclusive by design, with an integrated 50/50 gender split. Further, we would leverage our district assemblies and Community Information Centres in the subsequent implementation phase to ensure that the programme reaches every corner of Ghana, not just urban centres,” Mr George said.
He further emphasised that his outfit had mobilised resources and formed public-private partnerships to ensure the programme’s success, adding that a standardised curriculum, developed by the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT would be used to offer training at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels in various digital disciplines.
He added that a Memorandum of Understanding with MTN Group had been signed, and additional agreements with private Ghanaian and international partners were being finalised to support the programme.
