Bawku Central MP, Mahama Ayariga, has formally submitted a Right to Information (RTI) request, seeking full details of the Next-Generation Infrastructure Company (Next-Gen InfraCo) deal, which was signed on behalf of the Ghanaian government by Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful.
Ayariga, who also serves as the Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Information and Communication, is calling for transparency in the agreement, demanding the release of the full contractual document, the terms of the deal, and an explanation of any financial commitments made by the state.
“You (Ursula Owusu-Ekuful) mentioned that this landmark partnership was signed in Mumbai, India, on Monday, 27th May 2024, following a process that began over two years ago.”
“Kindly furnish me with a copy of the agreement for review, as Ghanaians involved in the telecommunications sector cannot be left in the dark,” Ayariga wrote in his RTI request.
The RTI request follows a March 2024 announcement by Owusu-Ekuful that Ghana would achieve 5G internet connectivity by September 2024 through the Next-Gen InfraCo partnership, which involves companies such as Ascend Digital, K-NET, Radisys, Nokia, and Tech Mahindra, with support from all major telecom operators in Ghana, starting with AirtelTigo and Telecel.
Despite the announcement, Ayariga notes that the public remains uninformed about the deal’s details and emphasizes the need for government contracts of this magnitude to be subject to thorough review rather than relying on verbal briefings.