Ghana approves controversial telecom sale

The Ghanaian parliament ratified the controversial sale of a majority stake in state-owned Ghana Telecom to Britain's mobile phone giant Vodafone, which the opposition says is a sellout.

The deal was approved by 174 votes to 74, an AFP report said.

'We were looking for the best offer for the country, they (the government) have used their numbers to push it through,' opposition leader in parliament, Alban Bagbin, quote dby the AFP report, said.

Vodafone has offered to pay US$900 million (€600 million) for a 70% stake in the loss-making Ghana Telecom, but the opposition said the shares are grossly undervalued.

Parliament had to be recalled from the summer recess to ratify the agreement.

Government sources told AFP that Vodafone is set to fully take over the running of Ghana Telecom by next Monday.

Ghana Telecom is the west African country's third-largest mobile phone group with 1.4 million customers or 17% of the market.