Telecommunications and EMIs Chamber engage NPP flagbearer on the Telecoms Manifesto

The Vice President and the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has been urged to prioritize and resolve key challenges that continue to plague the fortunes of the telecommunications industry as well as the digital payments ecosystem in Ghana if he wins the 2024 elections.

The calls were made by the leadership of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications (GCT) and the Electronic Money Issuers (EMIs) Chamber of Ghana.

In a scheduled engagement on June 7, 2024, at the secretariat of the two Chambers in Accra, the NPP’s flagbearer was taken through some of the key issues affecting players in the two industries.

For the GCT, the following key issues among others were discussed;

1. A conducive and supportive policy and regulatory environment

2. An enabling tax regime

3. Protection for industry infrastructure

4. Cost of doing business and ease of doing business

5. Indebtedness to industry

6. Development of the needed human capital for the industry

7. Increasing smartphone penetration across Ghana

Issues discussed for the EMIs Chamber meanwhile included;

1. Repeal of the E-Levy law

2. Facilitation of cross-border payments

3. Driving digital payments for People to Government as well as merchant payments

4. Enabling policy and regulatory environment

5. Cost and ease of access to the Ghana card database among others

The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications was led by its Chairman, the CEO of Telecel Ghana, Ing. Patricia Obo-Nai, Acting CEO of AT, Leo Skarlatos, CEO of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, CFO of ATC Ghana, Bright Owusu Bempah; and Ing. Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey the CEO of both Chambers.

The EMIs Chamber of Ghana was, on the other hand, led by the founding chairman of the Chamber, Philip Amoateng, the Director for Telecel Cash, the Acting Managing Director of AT Money, Mohammed Alhassan and other representatives.

On the NPP side, Vice President and flagbearer for the NPP, H.E Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia joined the two Chambers with the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation Ursula Owusu-Ekuful; immediate past Majority Leader and Chairman of the NPP Manifesto Committee for election 2024, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu; Prof Kwaku Appiah-Adu, the Senior Policy Advisor, Vice President's Secretariat; Dr. Augustine Blay, Executive Secretary to the Vice President; among other team members.

The meeting forms part of the efforts by the two Chambers to share their key issues with all parties ahead of the December 7 elections, with the hope that the issues are captured in their respective manifestos and implemented once they come into power.

The NPP Flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, in his remarks, highlighted his support for the sector, especially spearheading the implementation of Mobile Money Interoperability in the country as vice president.

He expressed his commitment to ensuring that all the issues raised in the Telecoms Manifesto and at the meeting are worked on, working in close collaboration with members of both Chambers.

As part of both Chambers' plans of meeting the flagbearers of the parties with representation in parliament, the two Chambers earlier in the week met with the NDC Flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, on June 3, 2024.

The Chamber had earlier shared the Telecoms Manifesto with all political parties.

The next step for the Chamber would be to review the manifestos of all the political parties to find out how much of the Telecoms Manifesto has been incorporated into the political parties' manifestos.

Then in 2025 monitor and advocate for the implementation of plans and policies of the ruling to ensure that the issues raised in the Telecoms Manifesto are implemented for the benefit of the country.