The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has issued a stern warning to telecommunication companies in Ghana, cautioning that failure to improve service quality by the end of 2025 will result in heavy fines and regulatory sanctions.
Speaking during a high-level meeting with the Chief Executive Officers of MTN Ghana, Telecel Ghana, and AT, along with their technical teams, the Minister expressed concern over the persistent service challenges.
According to him, despite the substantial infrastructure across the country, consumers, particularly in urban centres and major regional towns, continue to experience poor network performance.
“We are not doing sentiments. We are doing engineering. If you have infrastructure in place but your service is poor, we must begin to take regulatory action,” Mr George stated.
The meeting featured a presentation by the National Communications Authority (NCA), based on an assessment of 48 localities nationwide prompted by growing public dissatisfaction with poor network quality, assessed the performance of mobile network operators based on four key indicators: 3G coverage, Call Setup Time (CST), Mean Opinion Score (MOS), and 3G Data Throughput.
The NCA survey revealed widespread inconsistencies in service delivery among the three major telecom operators.
The Minister who expressed worry over this development stressed that while telecom providers had expanded coverage, service quality had deteriorated sharply in parts of the capital city, including Amasaman and East Legon.
“In Q3, I will instruct the NCA to conduct a comprehensive nationwide quality-of-service test in every district capital. Based on the findings, if we do not see improvements, decisive regulatory actions will follow to ensure customer satisfaction,” Sam George, who also serves as MP for Ningo-Prampram, warned.
He also revealed that spectrum allocations had already been made, with telecom operators given until June 30 to complete the acceptance process. He further stated that by the end of December, telcos are expected to demonstrate marked improvements directly linked to the use of the new spectrum.
“We understand that a full upgrade can’t be completed in three months, but we must see meaningful progress. Ghanaians must begin to feel the benefits of this spectrum rollout before the year ends,” he added.
Sam George also emphasised that penalties for non-compliance would not solely benefit regulators.
“Failure to meet the required standards will attract penalties,” Hon. George warned, adding that 40% of any fines imposed would be returned to affected consumers in the form of bonus data or call time.
Touching on data pricing, the Minister recalled the establishment of a committee in February tasked with developing a roadmap to gradually reduce data costs. He clarified that the goal is not to implement immediate tariff cuts, which could destabilise the sector, but to enhance value, such as increasing data volumes at existing price points, before any eventual price adjustments.
In response, the telecom companies outlined their respective strategies to enhance service delivery and customer satisfaction.
MTN Ghana CEO, Stephen Blewett, announced a $230 million investment in 2024 to enhance network infrastructure and IT systems, with further capital expenditure pending approval. Acknowledging recent service challenges, he outlined plans to open 300 new franchise stores, mainly in underserved communities, and recruit 400 front-facing staff, backed by a GH¢25 million budget. He also revealed the rollout of self-service features like SIM swaps and PIN resets, with robust identity verification to prevent fraud.
Telecel Ghana’s Chief Operating Officer, Mohamad Ghaddar, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to a superior customer experience. He reported that Telecel is optimising its network round-the-clock and has received some spectrum, but emphasised the need for additional bandwidth to meet rising demand. The telco currently operates over 400 retail outlets, with plans to open 100 more, and is implementing support services for customers with special needs. Ghaddar also welcomed continuous feedback from the NCA.
AT CEO Leo Skarlatos, recognising the Ghanaian public as the company’s most critical stakeholder, said AT is undergoing significant network upgrades that will become clearly visible by the first quarter of 2026. He assured stakeholders of measurable improvements in key performance areas and extended an open invitation for stakeholders to experience these changes first-hand early next year.
By: Ekow Annan/newsalertgh.com
