The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications (GCT) and its sister outfit, the EMIs Chamber of Ghana, have called for increased attention and support for the telecommunications industry, as well as the digital payments ecosystem.
The calls were made during an engagement session between the leadership of the two Chambers and the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and his team on Monday, June 3, 2024, in Accra, at the secretariat of the two Chambers.
The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications was led by its Chairman, the CEO of Telecel Ghana, Ing. Patricia Obo-Nai, Acting CEO of AT, Leo Skarlatos, CEO of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, the Managing Director at Helios Towers Ghana, Angelo Govina, and Ing. Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, the CEO of both Chambers.
The EMIs Chamber of Ghana was, on the other hand, led by the founding chairman of the Chamber, Philip Amoateng, the Director for Telecel Cash, the Acting Managing Director of AT Money, Mohammed Alhassan, CEO of Mobile Money Limited, Shaibu Haruna, Edem Kpodo, the Operations Lead at G-Money, and other representatives.
On the NDC side, Former President and flagbearer for the NDC, H.E John Dramani Mahama, joined the two Chambers with the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, and other team members.
The meeting, which lasted about two hours, touched on key issues and challenges affecting members of both the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications and the EMIs Chamber of Ghana.
For the GCT, the following key issues were discussed;
- A conducive and supportive policy and regulatory environment
- An enabling tax regime
- Protection for industry infrastructure
- Cost of doing business and ease of doing business
- Indebtedness to industry
- Sustainable promotion of local content among others
Issues discussed for the EMIs Chamber meanwhile included;
- Repeal of the E-Levy law
- Facilitating cross-border payments
- Driving digital payments for People to Government as well as merchant payments
- Enabling policy and regulatory environment
- Cost and ease of access to the Ghana card database among others
The meeting forms part of efforts by the two Chambers to share their key issues with all parties ahead of the December 7 elections, with the hope that the issues are captured in their respective manifestos and implemented once they come into power.
The flagbearer, H.E John Dramani Mahama, gave his vision for the sector, in which he had played active roles over the past three decades as Deputy Minister, Minister, and even as Vice President and President. He assured members that all the issues raised in the Telecoms Manifesto and at the meeting would be dealt with, working in close collaboration with members of both Chambers.
As part of both Chambers’ plans of meeting the flagbearers of the parties with representation in parliament, the two Chambers are expected to meet with the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on June 7, 2024.
