Head of Communication and Customer Service of Ghana Telecom Major Rtd Don Chebe has confirmed a meeting between officials of Vodafone and workers of GT, but says it was normal practice. With parliament yet to approve the controversial sale of 70% shares to Vodafone, critics have questioned why officials of Vodafone were allowed into such a meeting. But Don Chebe said for Vodafone to invest its capital into GT it has to conduct due diligence into its operations in order to be absolutely sure of the kind of contract they were entering into. Major Don Chebe in an interview with Joy News’ Dzifa Bampoe on Thursday insisted that 5 other bidders interested in GT were taken through similar procedures to acquaint themselves with the state of GT. He disputed allegations that Vodafone officials had cautioned Management of GT to halt further decisions including signing of cheques, saying “nothing of that sort had happened.” He challenged critics to cross check from suppliers, customers and vendors of GT if the signatories to the cheques had changed. But an economist and a member of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) Dr. Nii Moi Thompson claims the said meeting, was not best practice, but fraudulent undertaking by people in government. Dr. Nii Moi Thompson said the intended sale was to cover up massive corruption in the operations of Ghana Telecom. “An internal audit by GT reveals massive corruption and the officials are in a haste to sell the company so that when the next government comes into office it will not be noticed.” Referring to a meeting between President Kufuor and officials of Vodafone in UK earlier this year, Dr. Thompson requested the president to make public his position on the sale of GT. “The sale is more of desperation than the application of common sense.” He said. Story by Nathan Gadugah