Charles Acheampong (M) with Dr. Joe Anokye, and officials from Togolese and Beninois telecom regulators
ECOWAS MEMBER States including Ghana, Benin and Togo yesterday launched the implementation of the “ECOWAS Free” Roaming Initiative in Accra.
The agreement, which has already been operationalised last year between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire, is a collaborative action between the countries aimed at making communication seamless and affordable for citizens whenever they travel to states within the West African community.
According to the ECOWAS Roaming Framework, citizens will be able to send local and international SMS at local rates, receive local and international SMS, for free without roaming fees, make local and international calls at local rates without roaming charges and use the internet at local data bundle rates.
Ghana and Gambia will sign an MOU in November, and discussions would be held between Ghana and Liberia. Also, Liberia and Sierra Leone have been given a letter of introduction intent to sign an MOU soon.
Speaking at the launch, Director General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), Dr. Joe Anokye, said consumers of mobile services will benefit from cost savings and enhanced travelling experiences.
He said it will also go a long way to encourage commerce and tourism between respective countries.
Dr. Anokye also added that the NCA will put in place mechanisms to inform the public about the initiative while calling on mobile network operators to join in the effort with their own campaigns on all their communications channels to customers.
Deputy Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Charles Acheampong, commended the NCA and regulators of Togo, Benin and Cote d’Ivoire for the implementation approach recommended by ECOWAS Ministers responsible for telecommunications, ICT and digitalisation.
He said in spite of the challenges faced by ECOWAS since the implementation of the free roaming concept in 2016, there has been successful agreement between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire in the past.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah