Joe Anokye, NCA Boss
The National Communications Authority (NCA) has held a stakeholder sensitization workshop to educate dealers, manufacturers and importers of Electronic Communications Equipment (ECE) in Accra.
The workshop, which sought to enlighten dealers and importers of ECEs on topic, “Dealership Licensing and Equipment Authorization; Type Approval and Port Inspection- Rules and Regulations” is the first by the authority this year and will be replicated in other regions.
Joe Anokye, Ag. Director General, NCA, in a speech read on his behalf, indicated that the NCA is empowered under the relevant section of the Electronic Communications Act of 2008 to ensure that all ECE manufactured and imported into the country for sale or use adhere to maximum health and safety, Electromagnetic (EMC) and radio requirements.
According to him, the NCA has over the years taken various initiatives in the standardization space, including the development of an online portal for Type Approvals and others to ensure safety, conformance and interoperability.
Mr. Anokye said, “The NCA is poised to be the driving force pushing forward the frontiers of the future ICT and telecom standardization in the sub-region.”
He explained that standards are essential to ensure that the host of different devices, communication networks and protocols can communicate and work in parallel to deliver services to end-users with reliability, affordability and without delay, which is critical for the consumer.
Roland Kudozia, in a presentation, said that the Type Approval Certificate confirms that a particular model of an ECE that is to be used in Ghana complies with national and international standards and dealers must confirm the approval of equipment before importing to avoid necessary sanctions.
He explained that the Type Approval is not the same as the Dealer License as most dealers assumed, noting that the Dealer License was granted to entities to import, sell, install and service only Type Approved ECEs on the Ghanaian market.
Isaac Boateng, Regulation and Authorization Division-NCA, noted that it is the responsibility of the NCA as a regulatory body to check devices to ensure that consumers enjoy better services.
By Abigail Owiredu-Boateng & Patricia Ashiagbor