TELECOM OPERATORS AGREE TO CO-OPERATE

By Mawutodzi K, Abissath

No. 147973 SATURDAY, JULY 29, 2000    Price: ¢800

LAST Saturday, July 22, 2000, could be characterised as a ''Telecom Pentecostal Day" in Ghana. It was a day the Holy Ghost descended on telecom operators who saw the light of co-operation in competition.

The miracle occurred at no other place than the proverbial "Dodowa Forest" about 18 Kilometers East of the capital, Accra. It was fantastic! Who says "jaw-jaw is not better than war-war"?

But the "Telecom Holy Spirit" did not come down on its own volition. It took the trinity command of the Ministry of Communications, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications and the National Communication Authority (NCA) to do the trick.

The occasion was a one-day round-table forum dubbed "Dodowa II". It was aimed at reviewing a Communique adopted at a similar seminar held in December last year at the Marina Hotel, Dodowa.

The genesis of the whole episode was that precisely on December 18, 1999, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and the National Communications Authority, organised a one-day-forum for telecom operators at Dodowa.

 The chief object of that forum was to discuss the numerous problems facing the telecom industry and to seek solutions to them. The theme for the seminar was "Post Privatisation Management and its Challenges in the Telecom Sector: Ghana's experience".

An eye witness account of the event has it that it was "butubutu" (apologies to Kwatriot).

This writer learnt that upon protracted hot debates, interspersed with bitter accusations and counter accusations, it was fireworks all the way. It was said that there were live exchange of verbal blows leading to tempers rising beyond 100 degree Celsius.

In fact, I was told that at one stage, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications, Hon. Nii Adjei-Boye Sakan, had to put his parliamentary experience to practical application. Like the Speaker of the House, he restored order by suspending proceedings and ordering all belligerent operators to go outside to receive some fresh air before reinterring the conference room.

It was no joke at all? But at the end of the day calm was restored and a Communique adopted. It was this Communique that was reviewed on Saturday July 22, 2000 at Dodowa. Thank God this year's story was different. Unlike the Dodowa I where some managing directors failed to attend, Dodowa II succeeded in bringing together the chief executives of all telecom companies in the country.

They include Ghana Telecom, Westel, Capital Telecom, Mobitel, Spacefon and Celtel.

Again, while the Hon. Minister for Communications, Mr John Mahama (MP), could not personally attend the first forum due to other official engagements, this time around, the minister was there in bones and flesh. And it appeared his magnetic aura coupled with the authoritative voice of Hon. Nii Adjei-Boye Sakan, who was again in the chair, an atmosphere of love, peace and harmony was created for the smooth conduct of proceedings. Above all, the maturity of the operators themselves was beyond compare. They have grown wiser and more tolerant to one another since Dodowa I.

This is highly commendable.

At the end of it all, Telecom operators, on their own accord, have resolved to convene a kind of consultative meeting among themselves to iron out whatever technical problems militating against-the smooth operation of the industry.

They vowed never to allow any black cat to penetrate the inner most of their common dormitory. However, the operators called on the Government to nominate, inaugurate and swear into office the Board of Directors of the NCA without delay.

They reasoned that this measure will ensure a plain field for all players in the industry to perform creditably for the advancement of the nation.

Hon. Nii Adjei-Boye Sakan supported by all other members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications present at Dodowa gave the operators three months to resolve all outstanding issues regarding the progress of the telecom industry and submit a Report at Dodowa III, scheduled for November this year.

Hon. Sakan told the operators not to concentrate on their profit margin only but to put the interest of consumers on the centre stage of their operation.

They must also set up a body that will educate the general public and also ensure the protection of investors in the sector.

The Ag. Director-General of the NCA, Mr J. K Gyimah informed the operators that the NCA is operating in accordance with the standards set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). He called on the operators to discharge their financial obligations to enable the NCA to render better services to them all.

The Minister for Communications, Hon. John Mahama, told the conference participants that Ghana's vision is to become a Regional Telecom Hub for West Africa and if possible the entire continent. He pointed out the immediate priority of the government is to see to it that every Ghanaian citizen has access to telecom services regardless of his or her geographical location in the country.

Mr Mahama assured the operators that efforts were far advanced to put the necessary laws and regulations in place to resolve existing problems confronting the communications sector. He, however, warned that his ministry will not tolerate any individual or organisations who may want to take undue advantage of the Information Communications Technology to indulge in dubious, fraudulent and illegal activities that will sabotage the economic prosperity of our mother land. Bravo to telecom operators!

The author works with Information Services Department (ISD) abissath@gmail.com

NB: This article was first published by the Daily Graphic Saturday, July 29, 2000.