Parliamentary Select Committee on Information and Communications Pays Working Visit to the NCA

3^rd October, 2025: The National Communications Authority (NCA) hosted members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Information and Communications (PSCIC) as part of the Committee’s working visit to the Authority at the NCA Tower.

The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Dr. Abed Bandem, explained that the visit was to provide members with the opportunity to observe the operations of the NCA and acquaint themselves with its day-to-day activities. “We are here for you to take us through your operational activities and to understand the operational challenges faced by the Authority,” he said.

The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Dr. Abed Bandem
speaking at the meeting

Hon. Bandem also highlighted the Committee’s interest in Quality of Service (QoS) issues, noting that members had been informed about various challenges and concerns raised by operators and consumers. He further urged the NCA to intensify public education and advocacy on matters affecting service quality, including investment in infrastructure, frequency management, and recent developments in data pricing.

Walking the Committee through the operations of the Authority, the Acting Director General of the NCA, Rev. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, outlined the Authority’s key regulatory activities and seized the opportunity to announce upcoming initiatives as the NCA prepares to mark its 30^th anniversary next year.

Rev. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko addressing the Committee

Addressing concerns on service quality, Rev. Ing. Fianko noted that the Authority had strengthened its focus on consumer protection by restructuring its Divisions to place greater emphasis on Consumer Affairs.  He further indicated that some of the quality of service challenges stemmed from the inability of service providers to mount masts and towers in certain locations. He therefore appealed to the Committee to support efforts to address site acquisition challenges, noting that community resistance to the construction of telecom infrastructure negatively impacts network expansion and service reliability. He also emphasised the need for greater public appreciation of the role that such critical infrastructure plays in improving connectivity.

Rev. Ing. Fianko also provided updates on the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) project, which, when fully implemented, will help curb fraud and prevent the use of stolen mobile devices by enabling the blocking of such devices from all networks.

The visit concluded with an interactive session and a tour of the Authority’s operational facilities.

Committee members touring the NCA’s regulatory facilities