Features
Vodafone: ‘Ripping off’ faithful customers?
Per the views expressed by some mobile voice subscribers in Ghana, there is no doubt that Vodafone is currently the telecom company of choice in the country.
Vodafone-Ghana is said to have had about 9.7 million mobile voice subscribers as of January 2021.
Minister of Communication
Executive of Vodafone
Vodafone-Ghana prides itself as the only total communications solutions provider in the country; especially in the areas of mobile, fixed lines, internet, voice and data.
Some telecom industry experts in Ghana also ‘vouch’ that Vodafone-Ghana provides the kind of innovative and responsive service for which the Vodafone Group is recognised worldwide.
But for some time now, some Vodafone mobile voice subscribers claim that the company is ripping them off their sweat.
The reason? For instance, a Vodafone voice subscriber in Cape Coast says; “Vodafone will send SMS to a customer on low-credit indicating: ‘Your balance is low! Get SOS credit of GH¢5 and pay back in your next recharge. Reply “A” to this SMS or dial *505# for more options.’
“If a customer replies ‘A’ to the SMS; Vodafone quickly and excellently responds per another SMS indicating that: ‘GH¢5 has been added to your account and will be deducted from your next recharge or bundle activation. GH¢0.50 has been charged as service fee. Dial *505# anytime for more SOS credit.’
“Then without any hindrance, the customer can activate his or her phone to use for mobile services.”
According to the Cape Coast Vodafone subscriber, some Vodafone customers, including himself, who recharge their accounts with Vodafone RECHARGE CARDS are sometimes ‘ripped off’ when they receive SMS from Vodafone , prompting them that the ‘balance is low.’
For instance, he said, if some customers (including himself) sometimes recharged their low-accounts with GH¢5 Vodafone RECHARGE CARDS, they would receive SMS from Vodafone saying:”Your main balance is GH¢5 valid until so-so-and-so-date.”
The Cape Coast subscriber claims that when some customers (including himself), sometimes attempt to make calls after the confirmation of a successful recharge, “a voice message is received still telling the customer that: ‘Your balance is low. Get SOS credit of GH¢5 and pay back on your next recharge. GH¢0.50 will be charged as service fee. Dial *505# anytime for more SOS credit.’ “
Some of the Accra ‘victims’ said:”When you call the Vodafone help-line to complain, a voice on the line tells you to go to the nearest Vodafone Office for them to address the issue.”
Nii Doodoo, a resident of Weija (Accra) asks:”After Vodafone has inconvenienced you and frustrated your recharge, do you have to waste time again and hire a taxi to a Vodafone Office because of the GH¢5 they have ripped you off?
“Why is it that Vodafone is unable to restore the GH¢5 they have instantly ‘stolen’ from you when you call and complain to them on their help-line?
“After all, the evidence of having ‘stolen’ the GH¢5 is recorded in their system, as per the value of the RECHARGE CARD you loaded but ‘refused’ to reflect on your phone?”
A Takoradi-based Vodafone subscriber who also claims to be a ‘rip-off ‘ victim says, “Vodafone has a huge customer-base so if on daily basis about one thousand (1,000) of its customers are ripped off and you multiply it by GH¢5 ; the total per day is equal to GH¢5,000.
“And if it is for 30 days; GH¢5 X 30 days = GH¢150, 000. And if it continues for six months; it will be GH¢150,000 X 6 and that will be GH¢900,000.
“And for 12 months, it will be GH¢150,000 X 12, which will total GH¢1,800,000. And where will such money be going at the expense of the customer?”
Comparing the Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) of the banks with the Vodafone system; a ‘victim’ said:”When you insert an ATM card into the machine in an attempt to withdraw a stated amount of money and the money does not come out of the machine but the machine gives you a receipt, deducting the amount from your account; the machine later corrects itself by crediting your account with the deducted amount that never came out from the ATM.”
The victim said, Vodafone can learn from the banks’ ATMs and develop a software that can credit the accounts of Vodafone customers whose RECHARGED CARDS are ‘swallowed’ for free by the Vodafone system, without crediting their accounts with the value of the ‘swallowed’ recharged cards.
Since Vodafone is credited for ‘providing the kind of innovative and responsive service’ to its customers, it is the expectation of this column that the company will swiftly investigate the issues under reference and address them as quickly as possible.
Contact email/ WhatsApp of the author:
asmahfrankg@gmail.com (0505556179)
By G. Frank Asmah
On Sunday, October 11, 2026, it was the turn of Ghanaian Catholics in Finland to lead the singing in the church service of the African Catholic Chaplaincy in Finland (ACCF).
It was indeed a spirit-filled feeling for worshippers present. And for the Ghanaian migrants, the occasion also brought back to them memories of church services in their home country, Ghana.
The ACCF has a roster for each country/community to sing from time to time. Next Sunday will be the turn of the Nigerian community. Other communities that usually sing are the Kenyan/Tanzanian community, the Cameroonian, the Ugandan, group, etc.
A powerful religious experience
The mass services of the Chaplaincy usually give a powerful religious experience and a display of cultural diversity, especially in occasions such as when the Bishop of Helsinki, Bishop Raimo Goyarrola, celebrated mass with the Chaplaincy on Pentecost Day, May 24, 2026.
There was a similar time of spiritual joy last month (September 27, 2026) when Emeritus Bishop Teemu Sippo, former Bishop of Helsinki, visited the Chaplaincy. Bishop Teemu was the main celebrant, assisted by the Chaplain, Reverend Father Thomas Otieno.
Last Sunday, Reverend Father Bernard Sor, a Ghanaian Catholic priest based in Austria, was the main celebrant in the mass service where he performed a rite of baptism. Fr Bernard had celebrated mass a few months ago when he visited his sister and her husband in Helsinki. 
All these well-attended religious occasions indeed leave lasting memories. The homilies (peaching) by the priests usually emphasize religious tenets such as the importance of loving and serving God in truth, existing in peace with our fellow humans to promote unity in diversity, etc.
Unity in diversity and a colourful display of cultures
The African Chaplaincy church services usually produce impressive displays of diverse cultures from different parts of Africa and elsewhere. The events are often spiced by rich cultural displays of dances and colourful attires which are a delight to watch.
On special occasions, members of the Ghanaian Catholic community, in their gay and colourful kente attire and with adowa dance and music, usually lead the procession into the church. Other communities such as the Cameroonian, Nigerian, Kenyan and Tanzanian as well as Sudanese/South Sudanese groups also put up well-choreographed performances from their cultures.
The African Catholic Chaplaincy in Finland
The African Chaplaincy was founded on June 4, 2017, which was a Pentecost Sunday, in a Pontifical High Mass celebrated by Monsignor Emeritus Sippo S.C.I., the then Bishop of Helsinki, at the St. Mary’s Catholic Parish Church in Helsinki.
The Chaplaincy was created by Bishop Teemu in collaboration with the Diocesan body when they detected a great flocking of African immigrants to Finland, the majority of whom were Catholics. This was to give the immigrants a possibility to integrate into the Finnish society by worshiping as Catholics and in their African cultural identity.
The responsibility of the Chaplaincy was given by Bishop Teemu to Father Dr Leonard Wobilla Shwei, who is thus the first Chaplain and ably led the Chaplaincy. He was succeeded a few years ago by Father Thomas Otieno, who continues to move the Chaplaincy forward. Thank you!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
SKIP THE QUEUE, TAP THE NEWS
You can now read the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers from the comfort of your device via TimesNewsPlus.
Join our WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
She did not find out he was cheating. She found out he was drowning.
It was two weeks after their beautiful wedding. The jollof was still in the fridge. A loan officer called her number-not his-and politely asked, “Madam, please tell your husband to pay his overdue loan. We have been calling him.”
That was how she discovered her new husband had entered their marriage with a hidden debt of over GH¢ 40,000. No cheating. No other woman. Just a financial secret.
And that is how many Ghanaian marriages begin to die. Not with a shout, but with a secret alert on a phone.
We prepare for the wedding. We do not prepare for the wallet.
What is money honesty?
Let me define it simply. Money honesty is not that you both earn the same. It is that you both know the same. It is the ability to sit down and say without fear:
“This is how much I earn.”
“This is how much I owe.”
“This is how I was raised to see money.”
“This is what scares me about money.”
Financial transparency is not about control. It is about clarity. You cannot build trust on top of secrets.
Many couples tell me, “Counsellor, we love each other, love will handle money.” I always answer, “Love is the car, but money honesty is the fuel. Love without honesty cannot move.”
How To Buy Your Marriage Insurance Today – My 5-Step Protocol
If you are engaged, newly married, or even 20 years in marriage, you can still fix this. At Counsellor Prince & Associates Consult—CPAC, this is what I give couples:
Step 1: The 90-Minute Money Naked Session.
No phones, no blame. Each partner writes down on paper: Monthly income, monthly debts, monthly family obligations, savings, and your biggest money fear. Then you exchange papers. Read it. Don’t react for 24 hours. Just absorb.
Step 2: Create OUR Money, YOUR Money, My Money.
You need three pots. OUR money for rent, food, school fees, utilities, properties, and the like— joint contribution. YOUR money and MY money—a small agreed allowance no one questions. This stops the feeling of being controlled.
Step 3: The No-Secret Debt Rule.
Agree from today: No new loan, no new hire purchase, no new family financial commitment above GHS 500 without telling each other first. Not permission, but information.
Step 4: Talk About Your Money Personality.
Are you a Spender or a Saver? Are you Risky or Safe? Most Ghanaian marriages are a Spender married to a Saver. Neither is wrong. But if you don’t understand your partner’s personality, you will call his saving “stinginess” and her spending “wastefulness.”
Step 5: Do a Monthly 30-Minute Money Date
Not an argument date. Light, with tea. “How did we do this month? What worried you? What should we plan for next month?” Couples who do this divorce far less.
My Final Word
Before you say “I Do” at the altar, have pre-marital counselling and also have the money talk on the sofa.
Ask your partner:
“If I lost my job today, how long can we survive?”
“What debt are you bringing into this marriage?”
“How much do you send to your family monthly and will that continue?”
If he or she gets angry that you asked, don’t get married yet. A person who is angry about accountability will be abusive about money.
Marriage insurance is not bought at Star Assurance or Enterprise. It is bought in honest conversations when no one is watching.
The wedding costs one day. The marriage costs a lifetime. Don’t enter a lifetime contract and covenant with hidden costs.
You can still insure your marriage today.
Source:
Counselor Prince Offei, CPAC’s founder, is a leading Mental Health Professional, Marriage Counsellor, Author, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, and Spectator Newspaper Columnist. He writes on relationships, marriage, parenting, special needs support, and their connection to mental health. For therapy, counselling, or enquiries, contact Counselor Prince & Associates Consult (CPAC) in Accra on 0559850604 / 0551428486.
SKIP THE QUEUE, TAP THE NEWS
You can now read the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers from the comfort of your device via TimesNewsPlus.
Join our WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
