Parliament impressed by Subah’s monitoring of telcos

Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications on Friday paid a working visit to telecommunication companies operating in the country, in line with its mandate to promote orderliness in the sector.

During the visit, the Committee gained insight into the activities of the telcos and acquainted themselves with how Subah Infosolutions had installed equipment to independently monitor revenue inflows by the telcos.

IT and telecommunications solution provider, Subah Infosolutions Ghana Limited, in 2010 was contracted by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to provide telecom traffic monitoring services for revenue verification, specifically to collect “Talk Tax” pursuant to the Electronic and Communication Act.

The first port of call by the Committee chaired by the Member of Parliament for Bongo Constituency, Albert Abongo, was at the premises of MTN, where committee members were ushered into the data collection center by MTN officials, where Subah had attached its devises to the billing load or the main data center to monitor revenue inflow.

The MPs were briefed by MTN officials as to how the monitoring is regularly carried out.

The eighteen-member committee then proceeded to the offices of Glo to ascertain whether the rules and regulations were religiously adhered to.

Similarly, lingering questions of committee members were addressed by Glo officials. The trend continued at the premises of the various companies, including Airtel, Expresso and Vodafone respectively.

But, at Tigo the MPs could not gain access into the network’s data center as no company official was on standby to take them round, provoking harsh comments from the Committee’s ranking member and MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong.

It was, however, agreed that the Committee could visit at a later date. Subah installations also help to combat SIM box fraud.

Briefing journalists after the tour, Mr Abongo expressed the Committee’s satisfaction with the work carried out by Subah so far.

“Though we are not too technical we can see for ourselves that the infrastructure, installations and the systems are there for them (Subah) to be able to do their work as stipulated by law.

“We have been to the data centers and we were explained to how the talk tax revenue is constantly monitored. We are very much impressed. The Committee thinks that yes something is happening,” the chairman averred.

While expressing gratitude to Subah for the diligent work done, Mr Abogo was quick to add the Committee would not hesitate to consult the National Communications Authority (NCA) for technical assistances when the need arises.