Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has questioned the bidding process of the contract awarded to Next Gen Infraco Ltd. by the Communications Ministry to roll out Ghana’s 5G infrastructure.
The company, formed just a week before President Akufo-Addo’s executive approval on August 22, 2023, has been awarded the deal without an auction, sparking questions about transparency and fairness.
The 5G infrastructure project, according to the Government, aims to deliver affordable 5G mobile broadband services across Ghana through a shared infrastructure with seven industry players.
The partners, including Ascend Digital, K-NET, Radisys, Nokia, Tech Mahindra, AT Ghana, and Telecel Ghana, have established the Next-Gen Infrastructure Company (NGIC), which has been awarded a 5G licence.
Mr Awuni, in a Facebook post, questioned the track record of Next Gen Infraco Ltd., a company formed just days before the president’s approval.
He also wondered why different companies were not allowed to bid for the contract, which industry experts estimate could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
The journalist also raised questions about the relationship between Next Gen Infraco Ltd. and Smart Infraco, another company involved in the project.
“The company that has been handed the deal was formed less than a week before the president’s approval. The 5G technology, according to industry experts can be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Why is it being handed to one company without an auction? Why were different companies not allowed to bid for the contract?”
“What is the track record of a company that was formed less than a week before the president approved the deal? What is the relationship between this company and Smart Infraco?”
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