This comes after the announcement by the National Communications Authority (NCA) to grant a conditional approval for the transfer of the 70 percent majority shares in Vodafone Ghana to Telecel Group is creating an uneasy calm among workers of Vodafone.
They fear the impact of a potential retrenchment exercise, particularly at a time when the government has imposed an indefinite ban on public sector employment amid a harsh economic condition.
History has shown that anytime there is a change in ownership of a company, the new vision and direction of the managers often brought in its wake massive job losses.
There are conditions laid out for the new owners to maintain the old staff after the final takeover but history has a different story.
Addressing the issue, the co-founder and Director of the Board of Telecel Group, Nicolas Bourg, stated that there is no cause for concern.
“Not at all, we don’t have any plans to lay off anybody. That’s not the way we operate in Telecel. We proved it with different organisations that we have in different sectors.”
“Our plan is to keep every employee of Vodafone,” he stressed.
The National Communications Authority in this month granted conditional approval for the transfer of 70% majority shares in Vodafone Ghana held by Vodafone International Holdings B.V. to Telecel Group.
This is subject to concessions by the seller and representations made by the buyer to the NCA.
The NCA in a statement confirmed that the revised proposal from the buyer “now meets the regulatory threshold and hence has granted conditional approval for the transfer of shares to the Buyer including the submission of strategies for employee retention.”
It assured the general public and all stakeholders that it would continue to work with Vodafone Ghana and the buyer to complete all outstanding regulatory requirements to ensure a smooth transition, as well as continuity of service, delivery.
