WATRA Executive Secretary Pays Working Visit to NCA

The Executive Secretary of the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), Mr. Aliu Aboki, on Tuesday, 27^th July, 2021, paid a working visit to the National Communications Authority (NCA). The visit, which is part of a call on all 16 member countries of the Assembly, was to familiarise himself with the operations of the NCA following his election into office in March 2021. Mr. Aboki intends to use the visits to   build a common front to stimulate the development of the telecommunications ecosystem in the West African sub-region.

Mr. Joe Anokye, the Director General of NCA, congratulated Mr. Aboki on his elevation to his new role, and added that he was optimistic that Mr. Aboki’s leadership would support WATRA’s efforts in building a robust communications environment for the West African Region. Mr. Anokye subsequently made a brief presentation on emerging and ongoing projects of the NCA. He spoke about some installations that support the NCA in the execution of its functions, including the Broadcast Monitoring System, Network Monitoring System, Type Approval Labs and Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT).

The Director General reiterated that   the NCA has been working to ensure that there is access to communications services across the country to give the needed boost for development. He further stated that the Authority is moving beyond traditional regulations to explore new ways of regulating the Communications Industry by initiating some regulatory interventions and improving on others to bring them to global standards.

Briefing Executive Secretary on the country’s digitalisation efforts, Mr. Anokye noted that the Government of Ghana is playing a pivotal role in the development of a robust framework to support the digitisation of its economy. Highlighting on some key projects under the digitalisation agenda, Mr. Anokye cited Mobile Money Interoperability, Paperless Ports, the issuance of National Identity Cards (Ghana Card) and its integration with existing identity cards amongst others.

Mr. Aliu Aboki in his remarks said that it has become important to leverage on Information Communications Technology (ICT) for job creation, to alleviate poverty and to enhance economies. This, he stressed, can be done collectively through the integration of individual national agenda with regional agenda. WATRA, he assured, will engage and continue to work with all Regulators to promote investments and the ICT market.

Mr. Aboki thanked the NCA for the warm reception and further assured the Authority of the Assembly’s collaboration and support in its operations.

During the visit, Mr. Aboki got acquainted with some of the regulatory infrastructure of the Authority such as the Network Monitoring Systems.

About WATRA

WATRA, an organisation of 16 independent National Regulatory Authorities was established to promote an efficient, adequate, and cost-effective ICT infrastructure and services in the West African sub-region, while fostering rapid telecommunications development across member states.

As a regional telecoms organisation, WATRA is a consultative and collaborative body of Telecommunications Regulators in the West African sub-region to aid and advance development of telecommunications in the sub-region and ultimately in Africa.

The Assembly also collaborates and cooperates with other regional and international organisations towards the attainment of its mission to ensure the rapid development of telecommunications in the sub-region.