Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Communications, on Wednesday called for effective partnership between consumers and service providers in the communications industry to address challenges facing the sector and facilitate its development.
"The consumers of communications services are major stakeholders of the industry and efforts should be made to respond to their needs and service providers must consider themselves as major partners and engage each other in a progressive manner," he said.
Mr. Iddrisu made the call at the inauguration of the National Communications Authority (NCA) Industry Forum to bring stakeholders in the industry together to discuss matters of common interest.
He urged service providers to address problems about deteriorating quality of service to ensure that consumers were not taken for granted in line with the NCA's mandate to establish and maintain effective arrangements
for consultation with consumers.
"The NCA is to prepare a consumer code for engagement with consumers and the industry forum should provide an opportunity to discharge this
responsibility," Mr Iddrisu said.
Mr. Iddrisu advised the management of NCA to intensify its monitoring activities to ensure compliance to its guidelines, including issues of
inter-connection and quality of service.
"The NCA should immediately disseminate information on quality of service standards, obligations of service providers and monthly performance report of the operators," he added.
Mr Iddrisu gave the assurance that government is committed to review Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) for development policy as well as the passage of the National Broadcasting Bill into Law.
He explained that review of the ICT policy would pave the way for the provision of multi-media services and preparation for future generations.
Mr. Iddrisu urged operators to avoid needless competition and share infrastructure to achieve customer satisfaction.
Mr. Kofi Totobi-Quakyi, Chairman of NCA Board advised participants at the forum not to allow their corporate interests to supersede the national
goals during their deliberations.
He said the NCA would hold operators accountable and ensure that they
abide by the etiquette of the communications industry.
Members of the forum sworn into office were; Mr. Eben Alabertyn, Scancom Ghana Limited, Mrs. Susan Barbara Kumpley, Ghana Telecom, Mr.
Praveen Sadalage, Ghana Internet Service Providers Association , Mr. Eric Akumah, Internet Service Governing Council and Mr. Kwadwo Agyiri Danso, Millicom Ghana Limited.
The rest are; Mr. Michael Awuah, Kasapa Limited, Mr. Maruf Lawal, Zain Ghana, Mr. Augustus Yamson, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. Derek Obuobi, Glo Communications and Mr. Michael Quarshie, Ghana Association of Software and Information Technology Services.