The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George has launched an extensive audit of frequency authorisations issued or renewed in the past sixty days.
This directive, issued to the Acting Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), is part of the government’s broader Operation Recover All Loot agenda aimed at ensuring that state resources are protected from unlawful allocations to private entities.
“As part of the government’s Operation Recover All Loot agenda, the Minister considers it a mandate to ensure that all State resources within the purview of the Ministry which have been handed over to private interests in a manner inconsistent with law and laid down procedure must be recovered for the benefit of the State.”
Ministry for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations
According to a media advisory released by the Ministry, this initiative represents the initial phase of a comprehensive review of frequency allocations in the country’s broadcasting space.
The government, through the Ministry, in its statement, vowed to take decisive action to restore transparency and accountability in the allocation and management of radio frequencies.
The Ministry also assured the public that further actions will be communicated after a thorough review of the data received from the NCA.
Industry stakeholders and media organisations are keenly watching how this exercise unfolds, as it could have significant implications for the broadcasting and telecommunications sectors.
Minister Seeks Legal Review of Contracts
In a related development, the Minister has also sought legal advice from the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Hon. Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine on the legality, compliance, and viability of key contracts signed under the previous administration.
These include agreements for the commercialisation of the e-Government Infrastructure, awarded to Messrs Lebara Ghana Ltd and Smart Infraco Ghana Ltd.
Others include the controversial contract for the Design, Development, and Implementation of a Common Platform for Traffic Monitoring, Revenue Assurance, Mobile Money Monitoring, and Fraud Management by Messrs Kelni GVG Ltd.
The Ministry’s request for legal scrutiny aligns with the President’s directive of zero tolerance for corruption and a commitment to ensuring value for money in all public-private partnerships.
This legal review is expected to determine whether the contracts adhered to statutory requirements and if they remain in the best interest of the state.
The outcomes of both the frequency audit and the legal review of contracts are anticipated to spark intense public and industry discussions, especially considering past concerns about opacity in contract awards within the communications sector.
The Ministry has assured that the public will be duly informed of any findings and subsequent actions.
This development signals a new phase of accountability within the sector, with the new government demonstrating its intent to tighten oversight on the use of state resources and eliminate any potential financial leakages through improper contractual arrangements.
