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Presentation with the Telecommunications Operators
The National ICT Policy and Plan Development Committee had a presentation with the management of the various Telecommunication Operators on the 15th October 2002 as part of the National Consultative exercise aimed at developing an ICT-driven socio-economic development policy and plan.
A presentation was made by Prof. Clement Dzidonu, Chairman of the National ICT Policy and Plan Development Committee and a supporting presentation made by Dr. Nii Narku Quaynor, a member of the UNICT Task Force.
List of Participants
| Jim Burns |
Operations Manager (Westel) |
| Dr. J. A. M. Cobbah |
DMD (Westel) |
| Bob Palite |
MD (Celltell) |
| K. Mensah |
GM Voltacom (VRA) |
| William M. Taylor |
MD (Westel) |
| Ernest Aikins |
GM/IT (Ghana Telecom) |
| Marten Nroue |
IT Manager (Scancom) |
| Rev. Isaac Frimpong-Ampofo |
CEO African Express Communication Network |
Some Highlights of the Issues Raised
- For the positive effect of ICT on the socio-economic growth of the economy, there is the need to improve Infrastructure.
- Participants believed that there was a policy vacuum in the ICT sector and therefore this process is a very important step taken by the Government.
- The Government should take steps to create necessary regulatory framework and environment to encourage competition and promote the development of the sector.
- There is the need for Government to create policies which would portray the sensitivities on the ground. The Policy should also be stable and realistic without violating the operator’s business plan.
- All levels and branches of Government should also co-operate and co-ordinate with each other in order to have a collective opinion and complement each other’s work to encourage Investment in the Telecommunications sector.
- Efforts must be made to create a favourable environment for Foreign Direct Investment for Telecom Operators. The role of specific government agencies in this area would need to be harmonized in order to promote a healthy and safe environment for investments.
- With the institution of properly entrenched policies for operating, the Telecommunications industry could also contribute and support the economy to lead to socio-economic development.
- Efforts should be directed at attracting more investment into the ICT sector. The growth of this sector would be crucial for the development of the economy
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