NCA Director-General Demands Better Service Quality from Telecom Operators Amid Rising Consumer Complaints

The National Communications Authority (NCA) has issued a stern directive to telecommunications companies in Ghana, demanding they provide service quality that reflects the costs paid by consumers. Speaking at a forum organized for World Telecommunication and Information Society Day in October 2023, the Director-General of the NCA, Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, addressed the growing dissatisfaction among the public regarding network reliability. He emphasized that as digital services become more integral to daily life, the industry must prioritize the delivery of seamless and high-quality connectivity.

Fianko specifically highlighted critical issues such as frequent dropped calls and inadequate network coverage, particularly in rural and underserved areas. To address these persistent challenges, the Director-General announced that the NCA is moving toward more stringent quality benchmarks. In a bid to enhance transparency and accountability, the regulator plans to publish operator performance data, allowing the public to see which service providers are meeting standards and which are failing to deliver. This move is expected to empower consumers and incentivize telcos to invest more heavily in their network capacity.

In response, industry leaders at the forum acknowledged the need for service improvements but also pointed to the systemic hurdles they face. They advocated for an accelerated rollout of 5G technology and stronger regulatory support to ensure the protection of vital telecommunications infrastructure. Furthermore, stakeholders called for enhanced consumer protection measures and policies that facilitate broader access to digital services, suggesting that infrastructure security and technological advancement are key pillars in achieving the quality targets set by the regulator.

This call for accountability marks a significant step in the NCA’s efforts to safeguard consumer interests within Ghana's expanding digital economy. By holding operators to higher technical standards and making their performance metrics public, the authority aims to foster a more competitive and reliable telecommunications environment. Moving forward, the success of these initiatives will depend on the collaborative efforts between the government and private providers to bridge coverage gaps and modernize the nation's digital backbone for the benefit of all users.