GT Workers Back Vodafone Deal(D/G Tuesday August 12, 2008)

Workers of the Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited yesterday embarked on demonstrations in some parts of the country to express their solidarity with the government in its bid to divest 70 per cent shares of GT to Vodafone of the UK.The demonstrations were intended to convince the public and other stakeholders that the intended sale would help recapitalise the company and save it from total collapse.
In Bolgatanga, Benjamin Xornam Glover reports that the demonstrating workers carried placards with inscriptions some of which read “We support Vodafone deal”, “Help! GT is collapsing”, Vodafone /GT deal-Good for Ghana” and “Vodafone Zaare(welcome)”.
Whereas the management and some workers of GT, as well as economists like Mr Kwame Pianim, have given their blessing to the deal, groups like the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Convention People’s Party (CPP), the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) have been in the forefront of opposition to the deal.
Parliament is due to reconvene today to deliberate on the ratification of the deal.
Speaking to journalists after the protest, the Upper East Regional Corporate Affairs Manager of GT, Mr Gordon Wellu, said most workers held the view that it was better for the government to sell the shares, since it held well for the future expansion of the company.
“It is better for Vodafone to come in. Even if they are going to retrench workers, that exercise will not affect all the 4,200 workers.
It is better to have a few workers go than allow the entire entity to collapse,” he said.
Mr Wellu said workers were positive about the prospects of GT after the deal had been sealed, adding that “Vodafone, as a giant in the telecom sector, will resuscitate the dying GT”.