Telecom

Ghana launches common platform for telecom traffic monitoring

Wednesday, 24 October 2018 20:06

On October 23, 2018, Nana Akufo-Addo (photo), Ghanaian president, inaugurated the common platform for telecommunications supervision. The infrastructures built by Kelni GVG will allow the national Communications Authority to monitor international telecommunications traffic in real time.

This tool will help the government levy the exact tax on international calls. The infrastructures which can geolocate SIMBOX will contribute to the fight against frauds in the telecommunications sector. With its competence to supervise mobile money transfers, it will help combat money laundering.

Edmund Fianko, project manager at NCA, explains that "the common platform is a verification system, it does not generate direct revenues. In the past we just trusted it, now we can independently verify. So we have systems connected to the operator data center that gives us very raw data which is processed and enables us to be able to know the volume that has passed and what revenues are due on account on the communication services that have been delivered in the country".

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Ghanaian minister of communications stresses that "there was never any intention to infringe on the privacy of citizens' communications through the common platform. That was a myth put out by some civil society organizations which led to some lawsuits against the platform. Their injunction application was thrown out by the High Court […] Our only motivation was to provide an objective means of verifying the information provided by the telcos for tax revenue purposes, in accordance with the law".

Apart from monitoring the traffic to increase tax revenues, the common platform will also help the Ghanaian government to save $1.1 million per month.

For the management of this infrastructure, Kelni GVG received $1.5 million per month and Subah Infosolutions, the former international telecom traffic monitor will receive $2.6 million. After five years, the platform built and managed by Kelni GVG, in the framework of a Build-Operate-Transfer Contract (BOT) will belong to Ghana.

On the same topic
Sudan to deploy USSD services to expand access to digital banking Technology enables low-cost transactions via mobile phones without...
Côte d’Ivoire is advancing talks with the United States on digital infrastructure and innovation Starlink is positioned as a key tool to expand...
Mali and Orange Mali plan a partnership to accelerate the digital transformation of universities. The initiative focuses on connectivity,...
Zamani Telecom calls for a more favorable investment codeto support infrastructure spending and market competitiveness. The operator’s annual...
Most Read
01

Togo parliament adopts WAEMU law against currency counterfeiting Bill defines offences including ...

Togo Passes Law to Criminalize Counterfeiting of West African CFA Franc
02

Since its 2019 IPO, Airtel Africa paid Deloitte over $37 million in audit and non-audit fees,...

Airtel Africa and Deloitte: A Seven-Year Relationship, $37 Million in Fees and a Planned Handover
03

CCR-UEMOA presents mid-term review of private sector competitiveness efforts Reforms, AfCFTA trai...

Strengthening the Business Climate in WAEMU Countries: CCR-UEMOA Reviews Its Midterm Record
04

World Bank announces $137 million to boost West Africa digital economy Program expands broad...

Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone Receive $137M to Expand Digital Access for 5.2 Million People
05

Tilenga oil project required land from 4,954 households in Uganda Over 99% of affected households...

Report details land compensation for nearly 5,000 households in Uganda’s Tilenga oil project
Enter your email to receive our newsletter

Ecofin Agency provides daily coverage of nine key African economic sectors: public management, finance, telecoms, agribusiness, mining, energy, transport, communication, and education.
It also designs and manages specialized media, both online and print, for African institutions and publishers.

SALES & ADVERTISING

regie@agenceecofin.com 
Tél: +41 22 301 96 11 
Mob: +41 78 699 13 72


EDITORIAL
redaction@agenceecofin.com

More information
Team
Publisher

ECOFIN AGENCY

Mediamania Sarl
Rue du Léman, 6
1201 Geneva
Switzerland

 

Ecofin Agency is a sector-focused economic news agency, founded in December 2010. Its web platform was launched in June 2011. ©Mediamania.

 
 

Please publish modules in offcanvas position.