<<Print>>

Government will state its official position on the review committee�s report on the sale of 70% of Ghana Telecom shares to Vodafone, and the advice of the Attorney-General within a fortnight and also make relevant aspects of the report public. The Minister of Communications, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, who disclosed this in an interview with PEACEFM News@6, however, added that government will not rushed into commenting publicly on the report. ��we�re studying the report�when you are waiting for food which is being cooked, you don�t ask what they are cooking, just stay tuned, we will keep you posted�,� he said. It would be recalled that four months ago the Minister of Communications of the present government commissioned a five-member inter-ministerial committee to review the Ghana Telecom Sales and Purchases Agreement (SPA). The committee was given a 15-point terms of reference, including issues surrounding the SPA proper, pre-SPA events at GT, as well as the future ramifications of the SPA to the government and people of Ghana. On Monday, September 7th2009, the review committee of the GT SPA between the Government of Ghana and Vodafone presented its report to the Minister of Communications, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu. Mr. Justice Aquaye Addo, Chairman of the five-member committee, presented two copies of the 67-page report to the minister at a brief ceremony, without any hint of what the findings and recommendations were. But speaking to PEACEFM News, the sector minister said, right after the inter-ministerial committee completed its findings and submitted the report, it was handed over to the Attorney-General for its legal opinion. He added that since an interest group has filed a suit at the Supreme Court questioning the legality of the deal, government will not want to denigrate the office of the Judiciary by commenting on the findings. ��the constitutionality and otherwise of the transaction is the exclusive preserve of the Supreme Court of Ghana. It doesn�t lie within the powers of the Executive or the Ministry of Communications to make such a pronouncement or declaration as may be an opinion opine by the committee� we are just making this to respect the sanctity of the judiciary and to respect the principle of separation of powers which underpins our constitution and to demonstrate that government will continue to uphold the rule of law and to respect�.the authority vested in them,� he added.