MTN alerts subscribers on mobile scams

The Multi Telecommunication Network (MTN), a mobile phone services company operating in the country on Thursday warned subscribers of various scam activities on its network.

The company therefore advised customers to quickly draw its attention and verify from the network on “perceived raffles and other enticing messages” they received on their mobile phones to help bring the situation under control.

Mrs. Cynthia Lumor, Corporate Services Executive of MTN, gave the warning when she briefed a section of the media about the company's operations in Sunyani.

She said the company had received a number of reports from subscribers on various scams, cautioning that subscribers who bypassed the company and entered into such activities did so at their own risk.

Mrs. Lumor stated that though MTN was doing all things possible to find lasting solutions to both internet and mobile phone scams, it behooved subscribers to also play their part by reporting such incidents to the network.

She disclosed that the company currently had more than 10.76 million subscribers in the country and had invested GHC1.6 billion on its network.

Mrs. Lumor added that from 2000 to 2010 alone, the company had pumped GHC1.3 trillion into investments in Ghana and had also created direct and indirect jobs for more than 500,000 people.

She explained that the telecom industry in Ghana was a big contributor and key driver of economic growth, directly accounting for seven per cent of government’s income and two per cent of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The Corporate Services Executive indicated that the sector also accounted for 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs in the country.

She stated that the MTN Foundation, a fund set up by the company for community development had spent GH¢ 9 million on health, education and economic growth in the country.

Mrs. Lumor emphasized that while the company was rolling out a number of strategies and interventions to address the issue of poor networking and expanding its coverage such as the introduction of the fibre building network, some unscrupulous individuals were thwarting such efforts, especially by cutting the underground fibre cables.

She appealed to the general public to be watchful and help the company to apprehend those miscreants to promote excellent and quality network services in the country.

Mrs. Lumor stated that MTN had chalked remarkable strides in network availability but enumerated a number of challenges such as fibre cuts, frequent power outages and arbitrary operating fees and charges by Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, as that continued to hinder the operations of the company.

Mr. Dickson Amooungg-Yam, acting Ashanti Regional Manager, Radio and Transmission of MTN, gave the assurance that with the introduction of the fibre optic system tailored with the constructions of major and minor rings, subscribers would obtain quality network services.