Mr Samuel Nartey George (left) launching the NCA anniversary logo. Photo. Ebo Gorman
THE government intends to achieve 70 per cent 5G technology population density coverage by 2027, the Minister of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Mr Samuel Nartey George, has revealed.
According to him, achieving such a percentage of population density coverage would require rapid deployment, infrastructure expansion, and a considerate capital injection into the communication sector.
To this end, he has urged the National Communication Authority (NCA) to roll-out both the wholesale licensing model and the network-led operation model to achieve the 70 per cent 5G technology coverage.
Mr George said this at the launch of the 30th anniversary celebration of the NCA held in Accra last Wednesday on the theme: ‘30 Years of Communication Regulations, Celebrating Impacts, Advancing a More Inclusive Digital Future.’
He noted that cabinet had decided to remove the current exclusivity mandate for sole license holders and offer a spectrum resources to market through a national competitive bidding process.
15 bills in Parliament to reform the communication sector.
“This decision does not cancel the wholesale model. It simply provides multiple options for our market players. To this end, the regulator, NCA, will be receiving clear directions in the next few days from the Ministry to begin the processes for spectrum auction within the next few months,” Mr George emphasised.
The sector minister expressed confidence in the NCA to deliver and commended past and present Management and staff for their contributions to the improvement of the communication sector through the various regulatory policies implemented and enforced.
Also, Mr George indicated that the government intend to introduce
He thanked the past ministers of the sector for their support to the NCA in santising the communication space.
Mr George asserted that the 30th anniversary celebration of the NCA should serve as a renewed national commitment towards a regulation that protected the citizenry, markets that encourage innovation and investment, infrastructure that reached every community, and a future of digital inclusivity.
For his part, the Board Chair of NCA, Mrs Mavis Araba Ampaa, in her remark, stated that the good performance of the authority over the tears was as a result of the technical and institutional foundations that was established to enable it function effectively through a World Bank support programme.
“The programme helped to define the authority’s organisational structure, mandate and operational framework, while ensuring that it was equipped with the technical capacity necessary for effective regulation,” she noted.
Mrs Ampaa further advocated for the inclusion of more women in the decision-making positions in the communication sector as she bemoaned the low representative of women in the space.
The Director General of the NCA, Reverend Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, in his welcome address, highlighted some activities outlined to mark the anniversary celebration, including the heritage day, consumer engagement programmes, industry stakeholder forums, corporate social responsibility and outreach programmes, staff focus events and an awards night in December.
He commended industry players for their contributions towards digital innovation and assured the public of NCA’s commitment to effective regulatory communication sector.
The launch featured the unveiling of the anniversary logo and theme by Mr George, and was attended by various dignitaries and industry players.
BY AGNES OWUSU
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