The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has strongly criticised those responsible for managing the AirtelTigo transaction, branding them as “enemies of the state” over the controversial sale of the telecommunications company.

His remarks come in response to the decision to sell AirtelTigo, which was burdened with a substantial debt of GHC3.5 billion, for a token sum of just one dollar.

Addressing journalists in Parliament on Monday, 24th March, the Minister questioned the patriotism of those who oversaw the transaction, arguing that their actions had left the nation with an enormous financial burden.

“Those who managed the AirtelTigo process are enemies of our state and individuals who have no sense of patriotism. So for anybody to have told us that they bought AirtelTigo for one dollar, and now that we have taken over the ministry, ATC (American Tower Company), just one of the companies AirtelTigo owes, has presented us with a bill of 1.5 billion Ghana Cedis,” he stated.

Mr George further revealed that discussions with officials from the American Embassy had exposed serious financial liabilities linked to AirtelTigo.

He explained that the Embassy, alongside its team, had engaged his ministry, highlighting the company's outstanding debts.

These revelations, he noted, painted a grim picture of the financial mismanagement surrounding the deal and raised concerns about who would ultimately bear the burden of repayment.

“The American Embassy, along with their team, was in my office, and one of the major issues raised was the indebtedness to ATC. The debt sitting on the books of AirtelTigo exceeds 3.5 billion Ghana Cedis,” the Minister disclosed.

He stressed that such financial commitments could not simply be ignored and that they would have serious implications for the government's fiscal responsibilities.

Mr George questioned the logic behind selling a company with such a huge debt for a nominal amount, urging Ghanaians to scrutinise the decision made by the previous administration.

“So if someone told you that they bought it for one dollar, who is going to pay the 1.3 billion that is sitting there and accumulating interest?” he asked, highlighting the long-term financial consequences of the deal.

The Minister reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring greater transparency and accountability within the telecommunications sector.

He emphasised that his ministry would undertake a thorough review of the AirtelTigo transaction and work to prevent such mismanagement from recurring in the future.