Ayariga Triggers RTI over Next-Gen InfraCo’s 5G Services
The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central Constituency, Mahama Ayariga has triggered the Right to Information Act in demand of documents, agreements and answers to nine questions concerning the deployment of 5G telecommunications technology in Ghana.
In a letter to Ursula Owusu Ekuful, the Minister for Communication and Digitalisation, Ayariga noted that the “answers to these questions have become necessary in the interest of transparency and to enable me to exercise my oversight responsibilities”.
“Since your briefing, I have been reassigned to the office of Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Information and Communication. I have not sighted any of the documents mentioned in your briefing hence this request.”
He asked for the Ministry’s collaboration agreement with Ascend Digital, K-NET, Radisys, Nokia, and Tech Mahindra, supported by All Mobile Network Operators in Ghana; and a copy of its partnership agreement with Mumbai in India.
Ayariga is also demanding copies of documents to prove the establishment and existence of Next-Gen InfraCo (NGIC)- the shared infrastructure company; legal opinion supporting the manner of appointment of NGIC to undertake the 5G project; and an update on the status of deployment and implementation plan for the 5G services.
Defence
In May 2024, the Minister for Communication and Digitalisation announced and defended the government’s decision to award the 5G licence to NGIC, a company formed not long ago.
“This is a special-purpose vehicle. Once the Government took the decision that a neutral infrastructure company would be used there was no existing neutral infrastructure at the moment so it had to be specifically formed for the purpose of delivering this service based on the strategic policy decision of the government. It is borne out of our past experiences and that is why we chose not to auction it,” the Minister said at a presser on May 30.
She said the spectrum if auctioned would have delayed penetration as has been witnessed in the 4G with an attendant anticipation of only 10% penetration for the 5G.
“After analysing the nature of our telecommunication sector, it was clear that if we auctioned the spectrum, only one or two entities would be able to acquire it and roll out the network at their own pace and if 4G was introduced in this country in 2014, and we still have only 15% 4G penetration and we auctioned the 5G, within the next 10 years we will still be hovering around 10% penetration. Is that what this country wants? No.
“We want to accelerate the pace of access to telecommunications, to every Ghanaian everywhere in the country. The best vehicle the government thought would enable us to provide this service to all Ghanaians in the shortest possible time is to set up a neutral shared infrastructure company and that was set up following the policy decision taken not to auction it.”
Read the Full RTI Request here: letter-to-Minister-of-Communication
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
