Law suits, press conferences, and demonstrations have reached fever pitch as parliament reconvenes tomorrow, Tuesday, August 12, 2008 to debate and ratify the sale of government's 70% shares in Ghana Telecom to Vodafone UK. Various pressure groups have adopted different strategies to vehemently support or reject the sale. The Committee for Joint Action (CJA) who are poised for a demonstration on Tuesday at the fore court of Parliament house to protest the sale, says it has reasons to believe that relatives of top government officials are to benefit from the sale. They have therefore called on government to be transparent by disclosing persons who are behind the sale, and the benefit they stand to accrue. At a press conference in Accra on Monday, the spokes person of the group Mr. Kwesi Pratt says their suspicions are validated by a letter from a Vodafone official admitting that it is “standard practice” for them (Vodafone) to use relatives of government officials as their front liners in their transactions. “If Vodafone itself admits that it is standard practice, then it stands to reason that the same practice applied to GT and we will like to know the people who are playing that role for Vodafone and what they are getting out of it. It is based on Vodafone’s own admission.” Kwesi Pratt cited instances of Safarigon and Mobitela in Kenya where he claimed “the son of the president was deeply involved.” Kwesi Pratt accused officials of Vodafone as corrupt, and inefficient, in their handling of the Kenya telecommunication company and expressed surprise why 70% shares of GT would be sold to such a company. “Given the lack of transparency that has characterized this whole transaction is it not surprising that a company with a history of shady-shadowy of corrupt officials is being given 70% shares in a state owned company?” he quizzed. Meanwhile, a group calling itself the concerned Ghanaians has filed a law suit against the Attorney General, Management of GT and the Registrar General for their respective roles in the 70% sale of GT. The suit filed by Bright Akwete on behalf of six other persons including, Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, Prof. Badu Akossah, Kossi Dede, Kwame Jantuah all of CPP, accused both government and Vodafone of conniving to defraud the state. The suit is yet to be served on the accused persons with a date for hearing yet to be known. These actions notwithstanding government is resolved to carry out the intended sale, claiming it is in the interest of the country. At another press conference held in the castle on Monday, Press Secretary to the President Andrew Awuni says the intended sale is to ensure the viability, and the security of the national telecommunication company. According to Joy Fm’s correspondent Dzifa Bampoe, the press secretary was highly critical of a statement by Prof. Atta Mills which said the intended sale lacked transparency and would reverse the sale should an NDC government be voted into power in December. But government is not alone in these difficult times. Workers of GT in Kumasi embarked on a demonstration on Monday in support of the sale of the 70% shares. The workers accused critics of engaging in cheap politics which was not in the interest of Ghana Telecom. According to the leader of the demonstrators, GT was not only under performing but was in dire financial crises and needed government intervention. “The company is not performing, our financial position is not the best, quality of service in terms of mobile coverage is also not the best and we call on government to go ahead with the intended sale.” The workers say the era of monopoly was over, and with stiffer competition from other telecommunication giants the best deal for GT was to have Vodafone on board. Author: Nathan Gadugah