Information and National Orientation Minister, Stephen Asamoah Boateng was beside himself with trepidation last Wednesday, frustrated that his host on the Joy FM Super Morning Show and callers insisted that Ghana Telecom’s Onetouch roaming service works perfectly. Asamoah Boateng appeared on the programme a day after the government held a press conference to engage the public on why 70 percent of the national telecoms operator’s shares must be sold to UK-based Vodafone to salvage the ailing company. In an attempt to justify his argument that the company has not only deteriorated in value, but also services, he insisted that Onetouch roaming service is not as good as was being ‘forced’ on him by host Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, who also said he has used the service whenever out of the country and that it works. A number of callers to the programme also supported Kojo’s claims, however Asamoah Boateng challenged them and said he equally uses the service. With an uneasy tone, he said: “Kojo, please, please, can I respond? This Ghana Telecom (Onetouch) working, they think I don’t use it…Are they saying I don’t travel? Does he travel more than I do?” He maintained, “Onetouch does not work…when I call Accra…it is not efficient,” and explained, “when I use something and it doesn’t work for me, it doesn’t work.” Some other listeners also joined the show via text messages to contest the Minister’s take on the efficiency of the Onetouch roaming service. “Tell the Minister I use Onetouch roaming service, and it is one of the best in the country, so he should give us a better excuse,” claimed one Kwesi. And then another texter, Joe said; “Asamoah Boateng is not being fair with us. Roaming works ok. I work with GT and travel often.” But Mr. Asamoah Boateng countered those claims again, and said those texters could not hide in their bedrooms and make wild claims they could not substantiate. He explained that the current financially unhealthy position of the company, which the government cites as basis for seeking to offload major interest in the company, has come about as a result of poor management and a “combination of little problems”. He also partly blamed the previous government of starving the company of needed investments which he said has also contributed to the company’s present state. Asamoah Boateng reiterated that the $900m for the 70 percent shares in GT as currently offered by Vodafone is good for the intended partnership.