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Tigo boss angry with NCA
Audrey Micah
The Board Chairman of Millicom Ghana Limited, operators of
the Tigo network, Mr. Tismark Inja,
has faulted the National Communication Authority (NCA) for
instituting a regulatory regime that does not support
fairness and transparency in the telecom sector.
According to Mr. Inja, the NCA,
the national telecom regulator, has continuously flouted
agreements that have been reached between operators and the
regulator, in an effort to protect
the integrity of the telecom market.
He added that
in 2003, Millicom Ghana wanted to migrate from the analogue
system it was operating on since
pioneering the mobile network in
Ghana a couple of decades ago, but the NCA unduly delayed
them.
"It is important for government to ensure equity and
transparency for all, as well as equal access to policy to
ensure fairness," he said.
Mr. Inja made the accusations at the inauguration of an
ultramodern head office complex of the company in Accra and
explained that in 2004 telecom operators agreed with the
regulator that they should be
consulted before new operators were
allowed into the sector, but the NCA has since bypassed them
to license new entrants.
"The regulator has in the past not played fair towards some
operators, including Tigo, and I appeal to government to
bring its wealth of understanding about the industry to bear
on its operations to ensure sanity and fairness in the
regulatory environment," he said.
The accusations of the Tigo boss came
barely a year after members of the Ghana Internet Service
Providers Association (GISPA) also accused the telecom
regulator of similar treatment, which they said had pushed
some of them to resort to court actions to address their
grievances.
To Mr. Inja, "The experience that
we have faced in our operations should not be repeated - be
it authorisation of spectrum or
sub-marine cables," adding "to ensure stability in the
telecom market, government must adhere to the agreement
reached in 2004."
His concerns aree in line with
similar grievances industry players have said were troubling
the telecom industry, which must be addressed to protect a
market that gives government a greater part of its domestic
revenue.
Vice President John Mahama , on his part urged the NCA to
focus on ensuring quality of service and set a clear quality
of service standard to ensure fair competition.
"Now we have a discerning market and quality of service must
be pursued. Previously, government was interested in
teledensity and the number of telephone lines, but quality
of service must be pushed," he said.
Ghana's population is currently estimated at 25 million and
consistent increases in the mobile subscription figures has
made the telecom industry one of the most exciting sectors
in the country.
Ghanadot
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