The Dean of the Network of Communication Reporters (NCR), Mr Charles Benoni Okine, has urged MTN Ghana to use its leadership position in the telecommunication industry to help forge greater collaboration between the regulator and players in the industry.
That, he said, would ensure that a common consensus was reached on issues bothering the industry for the benefit of customers, the telcos, as well as the state.
Mr Okine made the appeal when executive members of the NCR paid a courtesy call on the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Ghana, Mr Ebenezer Twum Asante, in Accra. The visit was to congratulate Mr Asante on his appointment as the first Ghanaian to occupy the topmost position of the telecom giant and to commend the company for achieving its 15 millionth subscriber base.
Mr Okine said in the past there were rumours making the rounds that telecom players did not want to collaborate with the regulator in coming up with new policies and initiatives and he mentioned the Interconnect Clearing House (ICH) as a case in point.
“Often times there seems to be some discord between the National Communication Authority (NCA) and players in the industry. These are some of the issues that we believe you can use your leadership status to help address in a more amicable way,” he added.
Mr Okine also recalled the period when the Mobile Number Portability and the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) registration were initiated and the position the telecos took.
“But in the end, we as a network are witnesses to how the telcos are enjoying from the dividends of such moves. Much as we acknowledge the grievances of the telcos, we believe that greater engagements to suggest amendments will rather help to ensure a win-win situation for all. While we call on the telecos to be open, we also prevail on the regulator to be more transparent in its dealings to enable the telcos understand the issues as they arise,” Mr Okine added.
Investment and technology
The CEO of MTN Ghana, Mr Asante, said MTN was trying to ensure that “even where we want to ensure local participation, it is something that all of us also have significant passion for. It should be done in a way that will not compromise on technical dividend that must accrue to Ghana.”
He said there were many other investments that could come into the country through the right technology.
“If somebody has to set up a distance learning facility so that Ghanaians can do virtual school between here and say Harvard, you need high speed internet at an affordable price to achieve that and that can only come through some of the new technology, e.g 3G, 4G and the newest tech to come, including fibre and Wi-Fi,” he said.
According to Mr Asante, it is also about drawing a balance to ensure that the local flair does not also cripple the ability of the telcos to deliver the benefits of technology to the citizenry.Dean of the Network of Communication Reporters (NCR), Mr Charles Benoni Okine, has urged MTN Ghana to use its leadership position in the telecommunication industry to help forge greater collaboration between the regulator and players in the industry.
That, he said, would ensure that a common consensus was reached on issues bothering the industry for the benefit of customers, the telcos, as well as the state.
Mr Okine made the appeal when executive members of the NCR paid a courtesy call on the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Ghana, Mr Ebenezer Twum Asante, in Accra. The visit was to congratulate Mr Asante on his appointment as the first Ghanaian to occupy the topmost position of the telecom giant and to commend the company for achieving its 15 millionth subscriber base.
Mr Okine said in the past there were rumours making the rounds that telecom players did not want to collaborate with the regulator in coming up with new policies and initiatives and he mentioned the Interconnect Clearing House (ICH) as a case in point.
“Often times there seem to be some discord between the National Communication Authority (NCA) and players in the industry. These are some of the issues that we believe you can use your leadership status to help address in a more amicable way,” he added.
Mr Okine also recalled the period when the Mobile Number Portability and the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) registration were initiated and the position the telecos took.
“But in the end, we as a network are witnesses to how the telcos are enjoying from the dividends of such moves. Much as we acknowledge the grievances of the telcos, we believe that greater engagements to suggest amendments will rather help to ensure a win-win situation for all. While we call on the telecos to be open, we also prevail on the regulator to be more transparent in its dealings to enable the telcos understand the issues as they arise,” Mr Okine added.
Investment and technology
The CEO of MTN Ghana, Mr Asante, said MTN was trying to ensure that “even where we want to ensure local participation, it is something that all of us also have significant passion for. It should be done in a way that will not compromise on technical dividend that must accrue to Ghana.”
He said there were many other investments that could come into the country through the right technology.
“If somebody has to set up a distance learning facility so that Ghanaians can do virtual school between here and say Harvard, you need high speed internet at an affordable price to achieve that and that can only come through some of the new technology, e.g 3G, 4G and the newest tech to come, including fibre and Wi-Fi,” he said.
According to Mr Asante, it is also about drawing a balance to ensure that the local flair does not also cripple the ability of the telcos to deliver the benefits of technology to the citizenry.
Source: Graphic