France Telecom Keen on Stake in Ghana Telecom

The Chief Executive Officer of the French telecommunications operator, France Telecom, Didier Lombard says it is taking government too long to take a final decision on who wins the final bid to buy Ghana Telecom. Mr. Lombard who was speaking at a conference in Barcelona last Friday said his company was keen on taking a stake in the privatization of the country's national telecom. He was confident his company had satisfied the major requirements. But he noted that the process was going through so many steps compared to what France Telecom had to fulfill to buy over 51 percent shares in Telkom Kenya for some $391 million. The successful bidder of GT is expected to float at least 30 percent shares of the company on the stock exchange, have not less than one million subscribers, have an African presence and must have a solid management team capable of improving staff efficiency, culture and effectiveness. According to Joy Business Report, a successful bidder could be expected among France Telecom, Vodacom and Portugal Telecom, the last three short-listed from six others.