The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Dr. Ken Ashigbey, has called on government to review its regulatory framework for the telecommunication industry.
In an engagement with the media, he indicated that, current laws concerning legislations and policies in the industry are practically ineffective due to the transitioning face of network operators.
“First is to look at the issues of the business environment and the issues of privacy. If you take our country, we are currently running telecommunication on voice legislation, voice regulation, and voice policy. But we know that we are within the 4G and 5G realm. It’s no more internet of things. It’s internet of everything. We are within the realms of mobile money. It was not envisaged when those laws were passed.
“So we need to be able to engage government to revise the whole policy framework. The whole regulatory framework needs to be revised so that we are future proof. That’s very important”.
The Ministry of Communications, in 2017, served notice that it will revise the law governing the telecommunication industry.
According to the Ministry, the growth in the industry called for new regulation to resolve confusion among telcos.
Earlier this year, the Chamber requested citizen’s inclusion in the decision making process by government to advance Ghana’s cyberspace.
According to Dr. Ken Ashigbey, a collaboration between government and citizens, with some form of regulatory independence, would significantly boost Ghana’s cyber security structure.
“We as citizens and consumers also need to come into that space so that we would develop the governance structure and the systems that work.”
Speaking at the Ghana Internet Conference, Dr. Ken Ashigbey noted that, it would “really then wouldn’t be an arrowhead who is saying this has to happen but because we have put the rules in place that govern us, we know that if you’re President and you’re going wrong, the rules would apply”.
“We need to get to the stage where actions are not based-on people’s idiocentrism but based on what we have collectively agreed on.
“So, we all need to own the space but definitely because with the current paradigm that we have where we are still electing people, they might have to shepherd a bit but it has to be based on rules that we have decided and not just because they decided that this has to happen.”
On his part, the Deputy Director-General of the National Information Technology Agency, Kwame Kyei Ofori urged citizens to remain vigilant when conducting digital transactions to prevent the rise of cyber fraud.
“The first point of security is us, the people. We have to make sure that we are not just clicking on anything, just inserting any pen drives or just allowing anything onto our devices because the moment you do so, you are exposing yourself, and everybody else to a vulnerability that is beyond measure.
“So, the first point of security is you the human being thinking about it first. If you’re not sure, just wait and verify before you move on. That is the cheapest way to avoid a big hit in a country like ours”.
