adverts
Afriwave Telecom has extended its warm congratulations to the newly appointed Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, following his appointment by President John Dramani Mahama.
During a courtesy call on the minister, the company used the opportunity to discuss pertinent issues affecting the telecom industry, particularly with regard to the Interconnect Clearinghouse (ICH) operations, revenue mobilisation, and tariff adjustments.
In his address, the Chairman of Afriwave Telecom’s Board of Directors, Mr David Poku, outlined the achievements of the ICH, which Afriwave operates. He noted that since its establishment, the ICH has played a pivotal role in sanitising the telecom industry’s interconnect ecosystem by eliminating disputes among Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).
adverts
According to him, “Since the ICH became operational, there have been no settlement disputes among MNOs. Today, they issue invoices for national interconnect traffic with confidence because of the reconciled traffic data we provide, which signals a high level of trust in the ICH system.”
Mr Poku also highlighted growth in national interconnect traffic, noting that figures which had declined to an average of 800 million in 2016 have now risen to about 930 million as of the first quarter of 2025.
He expressed optimism that the upward trend would continue through the second and third quarters.
Despite the positive impact of the ICH, Mr Poku raised concerns about some MNOs defaulting on ICH service charge payments. This, he said, has made it difficult for Afriwave to meet its own financial obligations, including remittances to state institutions.
He also criticised the existing four-year review cycle for ICH service tariffs, explaining that many of Afriwave’s service providers charge in US dollars, while the ICH service is billed in Ghana cedis. This currency mismatch, he said, undermines the company’s financial viability, particularly when the cedi depreciates.
Mr Poku appealed to the minister to intervene in resolving these financial and policy bottlenecks to help Afriwave Telecom thrive as a wholly Ghanaian-owned company. He assured the minister of Afriwave’s full support throughout his tenure.
In response, Minister Samuel Nartey George acknowledged the critical concerns raised by Afriwave and assured that he would engage with the National Communications Authority (NCA) to chart a path forward.
He also emphasised the need for due diligence, noting, “All licences up for renewal in the telecom sector will be properly scrutinised before I sign off on them. We must uphold high standards in the industry.”
The minister reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening the telecommunications sector and pledged his support for local companies that demonstrate innovation and responsibility.
Click the link Puretvonline.com | WhatsApp Channel to join the whatsapp channel
GOT A STORY?
Contact/WhatsApp: +233243201960 or Email: manuelnkansah33@gmail.com
