Former Minister for Communications and health practitioner, Dr. Omane Boamah has charged the National Communications Authority (NCA), to release a 5MegaHertz (MHz) spectrum to the various telecommunications companies also known as Telcos in Ghana.
In an open letter on Dr. Omane- Boamah’s Facebook page directed to the NCA Board Chairman, Kwaku Sakyi Addo and the Director General of the NCA, Joe Anokye, he questioned if they anticipated an internet congestion during the Ghana’s election period and revealed that, there is a 5MHz spectrum available to help solve the issue should there be any.
“Do you anticipate congestion on the internet during this election period 7th to 9th December? One of the reasons this congestion can happen is because many Ghanaians will be using data to check results and also touch base with friends and family.
“Well… the National Communications Authority (NCA) can solve this problem easily. There is a 5MHz spectrum available.”
Elaborating on the need for the 5MHz spectrum to be released to the Telcos, he said that it was necessary because it was needed by the Telcos in Ghana to boost their bandwidth redundancy in order to ensure the free flow of communication before, during and after all election proceedings and activities in the country as majority of the citizens would like to check the results and communicate with their loved ones.
He further added that, due to the election at hand come December 7, and to ensure that all activities related to it are transparent and to also ensure the free flow of information, data to ensure internet connectivity is an ‘important currency’.
He then said that, due the upcoming festive season data usage will rise in the country.
“And if I may add, Christmas is also just around the corner. Data usage will rise as well.”
Prior to the call by Dr. Omane-Boamah, the NCA issued a communique to debunk claims purporting that they will shut down internet connection on the day of elections and asked Ghanaians to disregard the remarks as they were completely unfounded.
The authority also dismissed allegations that it was interfering with broadcasting services of some media houses in the country.
Their statement followed some media reports attributed to the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) which suggested that the NCA had plans to shut down the internet on December 7.
The NCA explained that, it has licensed several categories of service providers to deliver internet connectivity to Ghanaians which include Service providers, Broadband Wireless Access Service Providers and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).
The authority then disclosed that, it does not have access or “keys” to any of these networks of the Telcos in Ghana, and therefore cannot remotely shut the internet down.
“To block internet or restrict access to particular website, all submarine cable companies, MNO’s and other services providers would have to agree to do so.”
