The Network of Communication Reporters (NCR) has called for drastic reduction of taxes on imported mobile phones to help promote the usage of the fourth generation Long Term Evolution (4GLTE) compatible handsets in the country.
Subsequently, the network appealed to the National Communications Authority (NCR) to champion the cause in order for the government to reduce the excise duty imposed on mobile phones. It further noted that the more the usage of the 4G services, the faster the telecom companies can recoup their investments in the 4G infrastructure.
The Dean of the NCR, Mr Charles Benoni Okine made the appeal in Accra, when the NCR paid a courtesy call on the new Director General of the NCA, Mr William Tevie. The call was, among other things, intended to congratulate Mr Tevie on his appointment as the substantive Director-General and also solicit support to organise a platform on which all players in the industry will avail themselves to discuss issues concerning the sector.
The government has recently come under attack for imposing high taxes on the importation of mobile phones. The high taxes has resulted in a rise in the smuggling of inferior handsets into the country. Aside the fact that the handsets are not 4G compactible, they also mostly affect the quality of calls.
“We have seen the introduction of the 4G in the country, the new entrant being MTN Ghana which went commercially live last week; we know that these companies which include Surfline, Blu, Busy and Goldkey have made enormous investments and they have to recoup that to be able to reinvest in other areas to improve the quality of the service while expanding to areas where they are not present”, Mr Okine said.
Mr Okine said the NCR would continue to champion the progress of the telecommunications industry in the country to enable it to contribute more to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Appreciation
Mr Tevie thanked the NCR for the visit and the confidence reposed in him as the head of the NCA. He added that he will periodically engage groups such as the NRC to discuss issues affecting the industry.
Mr Tevie replaced Mr Paarock VanPercy who ended his term of office as Director General.
A press release by the NCA issued recently said as the Director General, Mr Tevie, under the guidance of the governing board will be responsible for regulating the growing and developing communications industry in Ghana.
He was the previous Director General of the National Information Technology Agency and a member of the previous NCA Board of Directors from 2009 to 2013, chairing the Board’s Sub Committee on Research in addition to being a member of the Board’s Sub Committee on Operations, Finance & Audit and Project Management.
The NCA is the statutory body mandated to license and to regulate electronic communication activities and services in the country.
Source: Graphic Online