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.
Novo Nordisk cuts Wegovy prices in South Africa amid competition Move targets rival Eli Lil...
Firms move beyond payments toward integrated SME platforms Services include invoicing, inve...
The BCEAO now allows UEMOA citizens abroad to open CFA franc accounts under the same conditions as...
WAEMU posts 3.31 trillion CFA francs trade surplus in Q4 Exports surge 50.4%, led by gold, ...
ECOWAS, Energy China discuss regional power infrastructure cooperation Talks cover $36.3...
Côte d’Ivoire secures 35 billion CFA loan for MRO center Facility to service Air Côte d’Ivoire and regional airlines Project aims to cut...
Mali army denies releasing militants for fuel convoy passage Military calls reports “fabricated” and aimed at discrediting forces Claims...
Côte d’Ivoire, EU sign 67 billion CFA francs financing agreements Funds target Bouaké mobility and northern region development Projects aim...
Electrify.solar, PowerGen partner to test blockchain energy financing Model aims to attract private capital, boost transparency Targets...
The Bijagos Archipelago, located off the coast of Guinea-Bissau, stands as one of West Africa’s most extraordinary island systems. Made up of around forty...
RFI confirmed the end of “Couleurs Tropicales” following Claudy Siar’s departure after 31 years. The move follows a series of high-profile exits...