Kofi Yamoah, the CEO of the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), has asked the government to compel Vodafone to list after its acquisition of the 2x5MHz lot in the 800MHz spectrum band for 4G.

Vodafone Ghana has however replied that listing on the GSE could be done but it is under no obligation to do so.

Kofi Yamoah recalled that part of the conditions of the sale of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone in 2008 was that Vodafone lists on the GSE to benefit Ghanaians but, so far, that has not happened.

He also added that the 4G license acquisition, requires Vodafone to offload 25 per cent shares to Ghanaians, and as such government should allow Vodafone to list on the GSE.

“The 4G LTE licensing conditions DO NOT mandate licensees to launch an IPO (initial public offer) on the GSE and nowhere in the bid documents or the license condition is reference even made to listing,”Vodafone Ghana said in a press release.

The telecom company noted that 30 per cent the company is already owned by Ghana government so the licensing conditions do not apply to Vodafone.

With regards to local partnerships, Yolanda Cuba, ex-CEO of Vodafone Ghana, recently told journalists that, Vodafone was weighing a number of options, particularly in the 4G space.

The company initiated a local partnership deal with leading BWA operator, Surfline Communications, but that deal was stalled by the regulator for alleged lack of regulatory framework.

ZuvielNaazie/techvoiceafrica.com