Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC), which has been a parastatal since its formation in 1980, with the government having 100% equity, says it is ready to offer shares to the public once its privatisation process is complete. The process has been wobbly since it was first mooted in 2007, with both the Board and the organisation’s past and present CEOs being economical with information regarding the privatization issue.
However, it has emerged during a recent media briefing that BTC has stepped up its privatisation plan, with results expected sooner rather than later.
“We are working with all stakeholders as far as the privatisation issue is concerned. We are ready for the privatisation process,” said BTC CEO Paul Taylor. He said the government’s privatisation arm, PEEPA, and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning were driving the process and as such BTC was waiting for the results from the two entities to start the ball rolling.
He explained that BTC would continue to offer a not-for-profit service even after privatisation, because the government would remain a major shareholder. “With a 51% share, the government will have a lot of say in the day to day running of the operations, hence there will not be and half-baked service to the Botswana public. We will continue to give the best service at all times,” Taylor said.
The BTC Board Chairman also hinted the corporation’s slant towards privatision, saying, “I am positive that the group is in good stead to unlock shareholder value for the current shareholder and the potential shareholders once the privatisation process is complete.”
BTC also owns Botswana’s third mobile network service provider, beMobile, but the CEO assured the nation that beMobile would not be affected by the privatisation process, and would continue to offer the best of service “as usual.”
The Corporation (BTC) was established in 1980 to provide, develop, operate and manage Botswana’s national and international telecommunications services. It is a parastatal in which Botswana Government holds 100% equity. Its range of communication products and services include wired and wireless networks, basic voice telephony and voice messaging, Internet Protocol (IP) based networks and solutions, high speed internet access, data networks, customer premise equipment (PBAXs), optical fibre connectivity solutions and online directory services
By John Churu, Gaborone, Botswana