The Minority New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Parliament is demanding a full scale parliamentary oversight into the future of AT Ghana, formerly AirtelTigo, amid government’s reported plans to merge or sell the state-owned telecommunications company.
Addressing a press conference in Parliament on Tuesday, October 15, 2025, Ranking Member on the Communications Committee, Matthew Nyindam, said the Minority Caucus would not allow the disposal of a strategic national asset like AT without due process, transparency, and parliamentary approval.
Mr. Nyindam accused the Minister of Communications, Samuel Nartey George, of inconsistency, secrecy, and poor judgment in handling AT’s affairs, warning that any merger or acquisition deal concluded without parliamentary scrutiny would be illegitimate and subject to reversal by a future government.
“We are demanding an immediate halt to the ongoing consolidation or acquisition process, and a comprehensive parliamentary inquiry into the circumstances and terms of the proposed deal,” Mr Nyindam declared.
The NPP caucus further stated that: “state assets are held in trust for the people of Ghana not for private gain or political expediency.”
The Minority’s concerns follow reports of government’s negotiations with Telecel Ghana over a possible merger with AT, despite earlier engagements with other potential investors such as Afritel and Rektron, who had reportedly committed to inject over US$150 million in the first year and up to US$1 billion over five years to revive AT’s operations.
According to Mr. Nyindam, who is also the Member of Parliament for Kpandai, the minister’s shifting positions from pursuing a strategic investment partnership to now advocating a merger with Telecel have created confusion and instability within AT’s management and workforce.
He cautioned that any such merger would undermine competition in Ghana’s telecom industry, create a duopoly dominated by MTN and Telecel, and risk thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
“AT is a strategic national asset acquired to protect jobs, promote competition, and safeguard critical digital infrastructure,” the Ranking Member stressed. “These objectives remain relevant today, and Parliament must ensure they are not sacrificed on the altar of political or personal interests.”
The Minority also called for the full disclosure of all agreements, correspondence, and advisory reports, particularly those from the transaction advisors, KPMG, and urged the Attorney General to clarify the legal basis for any government commitments made to Telecel.
They further warned Telecel and any other potential investors that any transaction conducted without parliamentary approval “will lack legitimacy and face future legal and reputational consequences.”
Mr. Nyindam concluded by urging President John Dramani Mahama to “rein in” his minister and ensure that all processes concerning AT’s future are conducted transparently and in line with national interest. “This is not merely about the sale of a company,… “It is about protecting a national institution that serves as a cornerstone of Ghana’s digital and economic future.”
