MTN ramps up efforts to support customers

The MTN Group has ramped up efforts to support its customers and communities to ensure safety with the COVID-19 outbreak across its markets.

A statement issued by the MTN Group and copied to the Ghana News Agency, Mr Rob Shuter, President and Chief Executive Officer of MTN Group said globally, governments and companies were ramping up efforts to help mitigate the spread of the virus.

'We need to play our part in the alleviation of the economic, social and educational impact through the support of key institutions such as Health and Education," he said.

He said driven by the belief that everyone deserves the benefits of modern connected life, MTN had started rolling out a series of mobile connectivity, digital and mobile Fintech solutions for communities across MTN’s markets.

He said the solutions were aimed to achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals and to ensure that the macro impact of COVID-19 does not hinder people’s ability to stay connected.

Social distancing amongst other precautionary interventions undoubtedly increases the importance of communities staying digitally connected, particularly to news about the latest developments of COVID-19.

He said under its Y’ello Hope package, included the support of governments and other stakeholders to convey vital information via mobile and digital platforms to keep people safe.

"Offering the zero-rating of school and university sites to enable learners to access core curriculum and facilitate distance learning and zero-rating some transactions on our Mobile Money platforms in a number of our markets.

As business and society, we are seeing a concerning increase in the transmissions of COVID-19 cases across multiple countries," he said.

He said in Ghana, MTN MoMo customers can now send money transfers values up to GH¢100 daily to MoMo wallets and other networks for free.

Additionally, he said the company had zero-rated a number of educational sites to support online learning and had also zero-rated the Ghana Health Service’s website so that users could access information about the virus-free of charge.

He said the group had also used their digital channels to provide hygiene tips and update customers on the virus and the company’s response to it.

Similar initiatives had also been initiated across all of its markets.