By Mavis Paintsil and Josephine Tetteh
Mr Chales Acheampong,The Deputy Minister of Communication, speaking at the launch in Accra, said the initiative would deepen the existing relationship among Ghana, Benin, and Togo.
By enabling affordable and seamless communication across our borders, we are not only enhancing the convenience of travel and business but also strengthening the social and economic fabric of our nations.
This initiative symbolises our dedication to advancing and strengthening regional integration within the ECOWAS community. It also reinforces the ECOWAS treaty’s ideals and demonstrates the effectiveness of collaboration,” he stated.
Beyond communication, he said the arrangement would have a rippling effect on cross-border trade, economic activities, and encourage more travels within the ECOWAS sub-region.
He said the “Free Roaming” initiative would enable “affordable and seamless” communication across the three West African borders and allow citizens to stay connected “without the burden of high roaming charges or the inconvenience of [owning] multiple SIM cards.
Mr Acheampong called for “stability and security” of telecommunication networks while the ECOWAS “Free Roaming Initiative” was being implemented.
Let’s use access to information in building resilient societies — Information Minister
Cyber security threats are a reality in the digital age and it is incumbent upon us to implement robust measures to protect the privacy and data of our citizens. By working together, sharing best practices, and investing in technological advancements, we can create a secure and resilient regional communication ecosystem,” he said.
He commended implementing partners in Ghana, Benin and Togo, and urged other West African countries yet to implement the initiative to come on board.
The Deputy Minister tasked stakeholders to adopt measures, including conducting customer surveys and establishing “Billing Feedback Systems” to monitor the success of the initiative.
Dr Joe Anokye, Director General, NCA, said the Authority would monitor usage of the ECOWAS Free Roaming Initiative and gather feedback to inform future regulatory actions and decisions.
Praising collaboration between the three countries, he said NCA and Mobile Telecommunication Companies would take steps to inform the public about the initiative.
The Vice Chair ECOWAS Roaming Implementation Committee, Ghana,Mr Yaw Boamah Baafi,for his part e explained that that “Free Roaming Initiative” would last for 30 days.
He added that aspects of the arrangement would allow citizens outside their home countries to receive calls without charges, and that discussions were ongoing in other African countries towards implementation of the initiative.