The Majority affirmed that instead of vilifying the Minister, he should be supported and encouraged to do more as his action is geared towards protecting the interest of the Ghanaian public.

They contend that there is no justification for his removal or resignation since all he has done since assuming the position has been to initiate process to correct the ills in the sector.

“The Minister has acted within his mandate and continues to provide the needed leadership to stabilise and guide the sector. The criticism of the Deputy Ranking Member offers a chance to thoroughly examine the state and progress of Ghana’s communication sector, especially given the legacy issues inherited from the previous NPP government led by Mrs. Ursula Owusu Ekuful, former Minister for Communication”.

Indeed, what the minority fails to admit is that over the past eight years, the communications space in Ghana suffered greatly from the absence of constructive dialogue between the Ministry and industry players. The former Minister, Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, adopted a posture that was dictatorial and highly uncooperative with stakeholders, including this very Committee. Industry players were compelled to operate under an atmosphere of fear, with little to no consultation on major policy decisions, they stated.

Addressing the Media in parliament on Friday, October 3, 2025, Sulemana Adama, Chairman of the Committee for Information and Communications identified the following as some of the actions of the former Minister that are being corrected.

• The sale of Vodafone Ghana to Telecel was carried out without sufficient parliamentary engagement or transparency. The transaction did not meet the required regulatory standards. This transaction created uncertainty and regulatory hurdles that took nearly two years to resolve.

• The merger of Airtel and Tigo aimed to create a more competitive telecom operator but resulted in significant challenges, including over $10 million in losses within eight months and ongoing financial haemorrhaging. Taxpayers bore the long-term cost of sustaining an ailing operator, while network quality and customer experience suffered. The Airtel-Tigo merger was executed with minimal dialogue and left many unanswered questions.

• The decision to award Next Gen Infraco a 10-year exclusive license to deploy 5G infrastructure was highly controversial, given the lack of transparency, concerns over financial viability, and absence of open bidding. As a result, MTN, the market leader in the space refused to participate in the deal. This approach has delayed Ghana’s seamless 5G adoption. This is a company that was formed 4 weeks before the then President gave assent to the rollout of 5G, and was never brought before Parliament, and Ursula never spoke to the issues.

• The Ghana Rural Telephony and Digital Inclusion Project suffered logistical setbacks under the previous government. Despite commitments, equipment intended to expand broadband and voice services in rural areas remained in Customs bonded warehouses, accruing demurrage and delaying critical access for underserved communities. Ursula and the NPP government did not find this necessary.

• The Kelni GVG matter, one of the most opaque and contentious issues in the sector, has still not been conclusively addressed.

“These examples reflect the environment that existed under the former administration, which was neither open nor collaborative. It is, therefore, disingenuous for the Minority to turn around today and suggest that the current Minister has failed in his duties or must resign. On the contrary, his approach has been characterised by dialogue, openness, and a genuine willingness to engage stakeholders, a marked improvement over what pertained before”.

The Majority said since the Minister assumed office, 7 months ago, the Minister has demonstrated courage and patriotism hence must be supported. Through his tireless efforts, the telecos have reduced the cost of voice and data services. We, the Majority, will stand resolutely with the Minister and call on Ghanaians to ignore the populist rants of the Minority.

“The Majority does not see anything wrong with the Minister asking for a price reduction, which is not against the law. It is in this context that the current administration’s measures, including the reduction in DSTV subscription prices, should be viewed as part of a broader effort to reset and revitalize the sector.”

Meanwhile, the Committee called on DSTV to halt the public statements and resort to good corporate governance, as challenges inherited necessitate continuous dialogue and collaboration among Parliament, the Ministry of Communication, NCA, and industry players, to build a resilient, inclusive, and competitive communication ecosystem.