Ghanaian telecoms regulator, the National Communications Authority (NCA), has announced that it has sanctioned the Mobile Network Operator (MNO), MTN Ghana, for failing to comply with its directives over some challenges with their network recently.
Business Hilights Ghana Bureau Chief reports that MTN Ghana was asked to pay two fines totalling GH¢100,000 (about N6,304,347.70) in addition to a daily fine of GH¢10,000 (about N630,434.77) from Wednesday, December 4, until the NCA receives the requested report.
Though there had not been any confirmation of reception as at Monday, 23 December 2019, an official statement, issued by the Communications regulator, and made available to Business Hilights in Accra, said the Authority directed MTN to submit a report on the challenges within 24 hours of receipt of the directive, among other directives.
The statement read in parts: “Monitoring by the NCA has indicated that the MNO has begun rolling out compensation and refunds to affected subscribers accordingly,” the statement said.
“However, MTN had failed to submit the report by the deadline indicated.
“As a result, and in line with the gazetted Schedule of Penalties gazetted in May 2015, the NCA has, therefore, imposed the following sanctions on MTN:
“1. A fine of GH¢10,000.00 daily in accordance with Section N (7) of the Authority’s gazetted Schedule of Penalties for failure to submit the report by 4th December, 2019.
“It should be noted that this Pecuniary Penalty is a fine of GH¢10,000 for each day the infraction persists from 4th December to such time that MTN submits the report.
“2. A fine of GH¢50,000.00 in accordance with Section N (23) of the Authority’s gazetted Schedule of Penalties for failure to give notice as soon as possible to the Authority, all affected persons including subscribers for challenges with billing inaccuracies regarding the purchase of their telecommunications service bundles.
“3. A fine of GH¢50,000.00 in accordance with Section N (23) of the Authority’s gazetted Schedule of Penalties for failure to give notice as soon as possible to the Authority, all affected persons including subscribers for inaccessibility of MTN’s Customer Care lines.
“MTN has also been instructed to ensure that the fines are paid by close of business on Monday, 9th December, 2019.
“The NCA further entreat consumers to report all challenges to the Authority to its Complaints Unit after duly reporting to the MNO concerned.
“The Authority will also continue to monitor the situation to ensure that consumers duly receive services they have paid for and as well ensure that service providers comply with their licences”.
The National Communications Authority, (NCA), was established by an Act of Parliament, Act 524 in December 1996, which has been repealed and replaced by the National Communications Authority Act, 2008 (Act 769).
The Authority is the statutory body mandated to license and to regulate electronic communication activities and services in the country.
