|
Nduom, CPP oppose Ghana Telecom
sale
Accra, July 17, Ghanadot/GNA - Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom,
Flagbearer of Convention People’s Party (CPP) and some
leading Members of the Party, at separate press conferences
at Parliament House have registered their opposition against
Government’s intention to sell 70 per cent shares in Ghana
Telecom (GT).
Barely an hour after Dr Nduom’s press conference, the other
leading members, constituting a group called Ghanaians
Against the Sale of Ghana Telecom, also held a press
conference and presented a four-point-petition to the Second
Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alhaji Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu.
Dr Nduom had vehemently opposed the proposed sale of shares
of GT, explaining that “this is not the time to sell an
important national asset like GT.
“I’m not opposing the sale of the shares for the sake of it,
but Ghanaians must be given the chance to buy shares, which
floated on the Ghana Stock Exchange”
Dr Nduom said Government must listen to opposing views and
not rush to push the sale through Parliament when it would
be left with some few days to go on recess.
A Provisional Order of Parliament has slated the paper on
the proposed sale of the GT shares, the motion and its
consequential resolution, as well as ratification for July
18, the day scheduled for the House to rise.
Dr Ndoum said he was sure some Members of the Majority New
Patriotic Party (NPP) were against the sale, and that should
there be a secret voting, they would vote against it, and
expressed strong fears that the Majority was likely to whip
their members to vote ‘aye’ in an open ballot for the sale.
The CPP Flagbearer said such a situation would only subject
Parliament to public ridicule, and Ghanaians “would be
raining insults on Parliamentarians for taking such a
decision”.
Citing Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and State
Insurance Company, Dr Nduom said Ghanaians could manage
national assets well and advocated that if there should be
any sale of shares, they should be floated on the Ghana
Stock Exchange for fairness.
The Ghanaians against the Sale of Ghana Telecom, led by Mr
Bright Akwetey, a Legal Practitioner and member of CPP, said
they considered Government’s action to be a betrayal of the
independence ideal that the ‘Blackman is capable of managing
his own affairs.
“It is a further throwback to an era where foreign companies
dominated the Ghanaian economy. That was the period of
colonialism.
“The CPP is not against foreign investment… but we have
insisted that such investment should supplement, rather than
supplant our efforts.
“The impending takeover by the British company Vodafone of
Ghana Telecom and allied strategic assets undermines this
noble objective of all those who fought for our
independence.”
The petition condemned the rushing of bills and agreements
through Parliament, and added that even though the sale were
desirable, the absence of specific and monitoring of targets
complete with a schedule of penalties for non performance,
showed that Government had been less than scrupulous in the
handling of the intended sale.
“The sale represents nothing short of a give-away for a
pittance assets that have the potential to generate billions
of dollars in profit for the Government and people of Ghana,
instead of the 900 million dollars that Vodafone is
offering,” the petition said.
Alhaji Yakubu receiving the petition said Parliament was for
the people and the voice of the people and had ears.
He said the matter would be considered and views of the
group would be taken into consideration.
The petition was jointly signed by Mr Kosi Dedey, Mr Kwame
Jantuah, Naa Kordei Assimeh, Susan Adu-Amankwah, Professor
Agyemang Badu Akosa, Sylvia Koblah, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, Mr
Bright Akwetey, Abdulai Salami and George A. Mensah all
leading members of CPP.
GNA
|
