Accra, Ghana//-Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications of Ghana’s Parliament today paid a working visit to MTN Ghana’s head office in Accra and questioned the management why the internet data offered by the leading telecom company is so expensive for the majority of the people to afford.
The MPs who were at MTN Ghana for the tour to enable them to familiarise themselves with the operations of the telecom giant said their constituents and others outside their constituencies were lamenting about the high cost of internet data which MTN Ghana controls more than 70% of the country’s telecom market.
The MPs’ visit coincided with the expression of public outcry over the high cost of internet data which not only negatively affects individuals, especially the youth but impeding the operations of businesses and studies of students across the country.
The outrage on high internet data costs was too intense on social media. A member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications and Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram in the Greater Accra Region, Samuel Nartey George stated: “I see the media here some of us will get roasted by the public especially the young people of Ghana if we don’t ask this question. “Why are you so expensive data-wise?”.
He continued: “You cancelled MTN Zone which many of our young people were using to study and used at the universities. Your bundles have become so expensive. Why are you killing Ghanaian young people?”.
These questions were endorsed by all the MPs who made the members of the Select Committee Communications today. Mr George added: “If the fault is not, you and the fault is someone else, tell us.
For now, we are asking why you are charging Ghanaians cut-throat bundle prices for data. Ghana’s young people are complaining because most of them are on your network”.
In a quick response, MTN Ghana’s Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, Madam Adwoa Wiafe said: “Hon, I think today the National Communications Authority (NCA) has issued some kind of press release discussing this very issue. It was even on CITI FM as to why the data prices are high.
It talks about the Significant Market Power (SMP). MTN Ghana has been declared by an SMP player and the fact that this is to correct some imbalances in the market and to help the other Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to also grow “.
It is in the interest of competition that we maintain our prices at a certain level so that the others can also come up to be able to reach a bigger market or get some of the market share. So, that is part of it. I am happy that the NCA itself has come out to try to explain to the public”, Madam Wiafe explained.
She didn’t finish the explanation when another member of the Committee and MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga interjected and asked: “What are the factors that go into the pricing of data? Do we have a tax component? Do we have a technology component?”
It was during this time that the Vice Chairman of the Select Committee on Communications and MP for Anyaa Sowutuom in the Greater Accra Region, Dr Dickson Adomako Kissi intervened and said: “I think there is part two and they will explain more of it. This was just to see the Data Centre”.
Explaining how the Data Centre operates to the MPs, the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of MTN Ghana, Thomas Motlepa; Head of Network Operations, Magnus Cofie; and the Manager Charge Control Board assured that the telecom giant is prepared to provide seamless telecom services for the upcoming December general elections.
