Three-term Member of Parliament for the Ablekuma West constituency, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, ahead of the 2024 polls, noted that her removal from office would only be possible by death.
In an interview on Asempa FM, she said, “Me and Ablekuma West, till death do us part” while encouraging anyone who planned to contest against her from the seat to rethink their decision.
Her assurances fell flat after the 2024 general elections. Rev. Dr. Kweku Addo of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) emerged victorious in the Ablekuma West parliamentary race, defeating incumbent MP and Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful.
In the closely watched contest, Rev. Addo secured 31,866 votes, while Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful trailed with 26,575 votes, ending her tenure as the constituency’s representative.
Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful is the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation for the Republic of Ghana. Since the election, she has not contested the results, thereby conceding defeat.
Voters in the Ablekuma West Constituency have allegedly rejected a delivery of food packs sent by MP Ursula Owusu-Ekuful,sparking mixed reactions and concerns about election fairness.
The incident occurred at a polling centre this morning, where an angry crowd booed and hooted at the driver of a pickup truck carrying the food, forcing the vehicle to leave amidst protests.
The vehicle’s occupants explained that the food packs were meant for party officials at the polling center. However, voters viewed it as an attempt to influence the election, leading to the confrontation.
A viral video capturing the scene has since circulated widely online, showing voters chanting “We don’t want it!” as the pickup truck was driven away under the watchful eyes of election officials and security personnel.
In the Ablekuma West Constituency, a pick-up truck carrying food packs was rejected by voters, who hooted at the driver and escorted them off the premises.
The incident has sparked mixed reactions on social media. While some have praised the voters for rejecting what they saw as unethical behaviour, others have called for calm and a more cautious approach to allegations of election misconduct.
This controversy comes after a similar incident on Monday, December 2, during the special voting exercise. Lydia Seyram Alhassan, the MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, was allegedly seen distributing food and water to people waiting in line to vote.
The MP has denied these claims, explaining that the food packages shown in the viral video were intended for her campaign team, Electoral Commission staff, and journalists at the polling station.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Dr. Joseph Whittal, had weighed in on another viral video showing security personnel collecting food while in a voting queue during the special voting exercise.
Speaking to journalists after a health screening event for 300 CHRAJ staff who will monitor human rights issues during the December 7 elections, Dr. Whittal expressed concern.
“When I looked at the video, it was more of an embarrassment because security officers must be security conscious,” he said, adding that such actions undermine the integrity of the electoral process.
The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has announced that Ghana will officially launch 5G services on November 1, 2024.
This groundbreaking move marks a significant step in the country’s digital transformation efforts.
Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo Show with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, the Minister confirmed that all necessary preparations have been completed to ensure a smooth rollout of the next-generation network.
“The infrastructure is in place, and we are ready to bring the benefits of 5G to the people of Ghana,” she said.
The announcement follows the government’s earlier promise to launch the 5G service by the end of 2024, which is expected to revolutionize digital connectivity across the country.
The Fifth Generation of Wireless Technology (5G) offers significantly higher internet speeds, faster download and upload times, and enhanced connectivity.
Using the same radio frequencies as 3G and 4G networks, 5G is said to provide improved speed, latency, and bandwidth, making it up to 10 times faster than the current 4G Plus services.
This leap in technology is expected to transform the digital landscape, offering quicker data transfer, stronger connections, and better reliability.
Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful further highlighted the government’s collaboration with seven key industry players to establish a shared infrastructure for the 5G rollout.
This initiative, she explained, aims to provide affordable, high-speed mobile broadband services throughout Ghana.
During a Meet-the-Press session earlier this year, the Minister emphasized the transformative potential of 5G, stating that it would offer numerous benefits, including faster data speeds, lower latency, and increased connectivity. “This will enable Ghanaians to access digital services such as healthcare, education, and financial services more efficiently,” she added.
The government has awarded the 5G license to Next Gen InfraCo (NGIC), a shared infrastructure company co-promoted by the government alongside seven private firms.
These partners include Ascend Digital, K-NET, Radisys, Nokia, Tech Mahindra, AT Ghana, and Telecel Ghana. The partnership is aimed at delivering affordable 5G mobile broadband services nationwide.
As the November 1 rollout date approaches, Ghanaians are expected to witness a new era of digital connectivity that will reshape how businesses operate and how citizens engage with the digital world.
The Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has clarified that MTN, one of Ghana’s leading telecommunications companies, is not excluded from the 5G rollout plans.
When the government announced its plans to introduce 5G within the next six months on May 30, industry experts questioned why MTN was not part of the consortium – Next-Gen InfraCo (NGIC) – tasked with implementing the 5G network.
Addressing the issue on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, June 24, the Ablekuma West MP informed host Bernard Avle that MTN will be involved in the rollout at some point.
She refuted claims of MTN being deliberately excluded, calling them false alarms and far from the truth.
“I don’t know who created that impression. Somebody threw it out there, and nobody spoke to me or any of those involved in putting this consortium together before spreading this false alarm. It is not true,” she stated.
“…Discussions are ongoing. All network operators in the country are being offered the opportunity to take up equity in this Next-Gen InfraCo, all of them, including MTN.”
The companies that make up the 5G consortium are Ascend Digital, K-NET, Radisys, Nokia, Tech Mahindra, and two telcos, AT Ghana and Telecel Ghana.
The collapse of broadband service providers like Surfline has been attributed by the Minister for Communication and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, to the 2015 decision to auction the 4G spectrum primarily to mobile networks, particularly MTN.
Owusu-Ekuful highlighted that this auction significantly disadvantaged broadband operators while favoring mobile operators, leading directly to the demise of local broadband wireless companies.
In an exclusive interview with Bernard Avle on the Citi Breakfast Show on Citi FM, she emphasized the government’s recognition of the adverse impact on these operators and expressed ongoing efforts to support their sustainability.
“Decisions taken in 2015 led directly to the collapse of these companies, these local broadband wireless operators who didn’t stand the chance once the space was opened up to the mobile network operators.
“It is as if we gave with one hand and took with the other. I have had extensive conversations with them to see how we can support them and it is not just Surfline which exited the market but Blue Broadband was also in there.”
According to Owusu-Ekuful, the auctioning of the 4G spectrum began weakening broadband providers, despite earlier assurances of exclusivity in the broadband space for local operators.
“Government sold spectrum to local operators to do broadband on the understanding that they would be given exclusivity in that space, while mobile network operators did voice and procured data services from them [broadband operators] if they wanted to give those data services to their subscribers.
“After promising them exclusivity, we went ahead and auctioned the 4G to these same big players, who MTN then acquired the spectrum because it has so much more financial muscle than these local entities and so MTN cornered the market.
The minister underscored that the spectrum’s pricing at the time made it accessible only to MTN, consolidating its position and marginalizing smaller broadband operators.
“At the price, the spectrum was pegged at the time, it was only MTN that could buy it and that made it possible for them to corner the high-speed data market and blow the rest of the operators out of the market.”
The Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has clarified that MTN, one of Ghana’s leading telecommunications companies, has not been excluded from the country’s 5G rollout plans.
The announcement comes after concerns were raised by industry experts when the government revealed its intention to introduce 5G within the next six months, with MTN not initially included in the consortium – Next-Gen InfraCo (NGIC) – tasked with implementing the 5G network.
In an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show, Owusu-Ekuful addressed the issue, stating that MTN will be involved in the 5G rollout at some point.
She refuted claims that MTN was deliberately excluded, calling them a false alarm and far from the truth.
“I don’t know who created that impression. Somebody threw it out there, and nobody spoke to me or any of those involved in putting this consortium together before spreading this false alarm. It is not true,” she clarified.
Owusu-Ekuful further explained that discussions are ongoing, and all network operators in the country, including MTN, are being offered the opportunity to take up equity in the Next-Gen InfraCo.
The consortium responsible for the 5G rollout includes Ascend Digital, K-NET, Radisys, Nokia, and Tech Mahindra, along with two telcos, AT Ghana and Telecel Ghana.
The Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, @UrsulaOw was asked by @benkoku on the Citi Breakfast Show whether MTN will be involved in the consortium to build a 5G network in Ghana.
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West constituency, has expressed her disapproval of some party members lobbying to be the running mate for the New Patriotic Party’s flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Mrs Owusu-Ekuful stated that such actions are disrespectful and undermine the decision-making authority of the Presidential nominee.
In an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show, the Communication Minister emphasized the importance of allowing Dr. Bawumia the freedom to make his choice without external pressure.
She stated, “Let him be given the space to choose the person he best thinks can partner with him. I think it is even disrespectful for people to be lobbying as if he can’t make his own decision.”
Mrs Owusu-Ekuful urged the public to refrain from putting pressure on Dr. Bawumia to nominate his running mate, emphasizing that the position should not be sought after or gambled for.
She stated, “It is an appointed position and I think the flagbearer should be left alone and given the space to decide who he thinks can best partner him and boost his chances in the election.”
Calls for the NPP’s flagbearer to nominate a female running mate have intensified in recent times, with the names of Akosua Frema Osei-Opare and Naa Torshie being mentioned.
However, Owusu-Ekuful clarified that while her name may be speculated, she has never expressed interest in the position or lobbied for it.
Dr. Bawumia was elected NPP flagbearer in December 2023, but he is yet to announce his running mate. Energy Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has been tipped as the front runner in the race for the running mate position.
.@UrsulaOw says it's disrespectful for anyone to lobby to be named as the running mate of NPP flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia ahead of the 2024 polls.
She insisted that while she will not push for the role, she'll be glad to assist Dr. Bawumia if he seeks her support. #CitiCBSpic.twitter.com/Qn5IHudQ6C
The Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has reaffirmed the government’s strong commitment to encouraging greater interest in Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) among schoolgirls nationwide.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure that the younger female generation acquires essential ICT skills, preparing them for a future increasingly shaped by technological advancements.
At the launch of the Ms. Geek Ghana Competition, Minister for Communication and Digitalisation, highlighted significant strides in challenging the longstanding perception that STEM fields are predominantly male-dominated.
Her remarks underscored the ministry’s comprehensive approach to creating opportunities and providing resources to empower schoolgirls in ICT.
“That perception that science, mathematics, and technology is the sole preserve of men is gradually changing. And we are putting in all the efforts that we can to accelerate that process of change.
“Because we truly believe that once given the adequate opportunities and exposure and training, there isn’t anything that any one man or woman cannot do if they put their minds to it.”
The Ms. Geek Ghana 2024 Competition aims to empower young women in ICT, aligning with SDG goal 5 on gender equality and empowering women and girls.
Open to females aged 13 to 21, participants are invited to submit technology-driven solutions to key challenges in Ghana and Africa.
The Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation aims to highlight women’s contributions to the technology sector through this competition, providing a platform for young girls to showcase their abilities.
Shortlisted applicants will participate in a masterclass and present their solutions to a panel.
In addition to representing Ghana at the Ms. Geek Africa Competition, winners will receive monetary prizes, business support, and other benefits.
Applications must be submitted by July 18, 2024, via the website www.moc.gov.gh or email to msgeek@moc.gov.gh.
The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation and Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma West, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has expressed her readiness to serve as a running mate if selected.
Owusu-Ekuful is in contention for the running mate position of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), alongside other candidates such as Energy Minister Mathew Opoku Prempeh.
Despite her qualifications, the Communications Minister emphasized that she will not lobby for the position.
“This position is not something we lobby for. If women are running affairs, it’s not bad. I love working and doing every job assigned to me. I won’t go begging, but when I get the chance, I will do it and do it nicely,” she said on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme on Thursday.
She continued, “For now, I am a Minister and an MP and doing my job very well. If they mention my name to go and do another job, I will do it gladly, but for now, I have to concentrate on what I have been assigned to do.”
Ghana’s Communications and Digitalisation Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has encouraged users of “Yam phones”—a local term for basic keypad phones—to upgrade their devices in preparation for the upcoming 5G network rollout.
This move represents a major advancement toward faster and more affordable mobile data in Ghana.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, May 30, 2024, Minister Owusu-Ekuful announced the government’s plan to launch 5G services within the next six months.
The rollout will be led by Next-Gen InfraCo (NGIC), a consortium that includes the government of Ghana and seven partners: Ascend Digital, K-NET, Radisys, Nokia, Tech Mahindra, and telecommunications companies AT Ghana and Telecel Ghana.
The Minister also mentioned that global tech giant Microsoft has shown interest in the project, with discussions set to begin soon.
NGIC will be the first entity to establish a nationwide 4G/5G Mobile Broadband Shared Infrastructure in Ghana.
“The introduction of 5G services is set to advance Ghana’s digital agenda,” stated Minister Owusu-Ekuful.
“This will benefit sectors such as education, healthcare, and digital payments, reducing the digital divide and enhancing financial inclusion.”
The consortium’s equity will be shared among the public of Ghana, Ascend Digital, K-NET, all mobile operators in Ghana, and other private investors, including potential technology providers.
This multi-partner initiative aims to support NGIC in deploying the necessary network infrastructure and services, catering to both enterprise and consumer markets with enhanced digital offerings.
The arrival of 5G is expected to transform internet access and usage across the country, paving the way for a more connected and digitally inclusive future.
The Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has emphasized that Ghana’s collaborative 5G infrastructure will revolutionize the telecommunications sector.
This week, the government announced its collaboration with seven industry stakeholders to establish a new shared infrastructure aimed at providing cost-effective 5G mobile broadband services nationwide.
The seven partners, including Ascend Digital, K-NET, Radisys, Nokia, and Tech Mahindra, along with telcos AT Ghana and Telecel Ghana, have formed the Next-Gen Infrastructure Company (NGIC). NGIC has been granted a 5G license and is set to roll out 5G services across Ghana within six months, with plans for expansion into other African regions.
As the inaugural 5G Mobile Broadband Shared Infrastructure Entity in the country, NGIC will develop a nationwide 4G/5G network. Additionally, it will collaborate with telcos to introduce affordable 4G/5G-enabled Fixed Wireless Access Customer Premises Equipments (FWA CPEs) and smartphones in Ghana by the end of this year.
Speaking to the press on Thursday, May 30, Owusu-Ekuful emphasized that this pioneering initiative, unique in Africa, will catalyze economic growth in Ghana.
“There’s a lot of interest being shown in this network in the world of technology because it’s a trailblazer and it can be a gamechanger for rolling out technology on the continent,” she said.
“So a lot of interest is being shown in it. And that’s why so many of the technology majors are interested in partnering us to deliver it. Instead of competing with each other, they want to collaborate to show that it is doable, it is possible. “
Owusu-Ekuful added “And so we’re all very, very excited about it. When it was launched in India on Monday, over 100 networks across the world carried it. And so it is of great interest to everybody.”
During an address to the press, Communications and Digitalisation Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful was unexpectedly interrupted when the power went out.
The agenda today was primarily focused on shedding light on a new initiative aimed at delivering affordable 5G mobile broadband services across Ghana.
The Ministry also planned to address suspicions regarding the establishment of the company awarded the 5G network rollout contract, which was reportedly set up just one week before receiving the contract.
At the event on Thursday, May 30, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful explained that the company was specifically created for this purpose because there was no existing neutral infrastructure company capable of handling the rollout at that time.
She said the new special purpose vehicle, Next-Gen InfraCo (NGIC), was a collaboration between the government and several partners, including Ascend Digital, K-NET, Radisys, Nokia, and Tech Mahindra, with support from all mobile network operators in Ghana, starting with AT and Telecel.
However, while she was explaining the rationale behind the new partnership, the electricity suddenly went off, cutting off lights, microphones, and speakers in the Information Ministry’s conference room, plunging it into darkness. The outage lasted for about five minutes.
🙀🇬🇭 ‘Dumsor’ interrupts Ursula Owusu-Ekuful mid-speech during her press conference at the Information Ministry this morning. pic.twitter.com/WpuwxMCt51
— Kenneth Awotwe Darko (@TheKennethDarko) May 30, 2024
After power was restored, the Minister apologized for the hitch and continued with her address.
The unstable nature of the power supply over the past few months has been a matter of concern for many Ghanaians. Some celebrities, including actress Yvonne Nelson, have planned a demonstration against the situation, which has left residents and businesses in a difficult predicament.
On April 18, 2024, a group called ‘Youth for Asanteman’ staged a demonstration in Kumasi to demand a load-shedding timetable amid recent unannounced power cuts.
The protesters, clad in red and black, called on the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Energy Ministry to ensure stable power supply.
The protest came after President Akufo-Addo commissioned the Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant aimed at improving access to power.
Communications and Digitalisation Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has confirmed that NextGen InfraCo, the company awarded the contract for the rollout of the 5G network, was established just one week before receiving the contract.
Madam Owusu-Ekuful clarified that the company was specifically created for this purpose because there was no existing neutral infrastructure company capable of handling the rollout at that time.
During a press briefing on the 5G rollout, she elaborated on the government’s reasoning behind this decision. She noted that auctioning the contract was not pursued due to previous experiences and setbacks that had hindered the rollout of the country’s 4G technology, which has achieved only a 15% nationwide penetration since its introduction in 2015.
The Minister highlighted that the challenges faced during the 4G rollout influenced the government’s approach to the 5G deployment. By directly awarding the contract to a newly created entity, the government aims to avoid similar obstacles and expedite the implementation process for the 5G network.
The Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West provided insight into the government’s strategic decision-making process, emphasizing the need for a dedicated infrastructure company to ensure the successful and timely rollout of 5G technology across the country.
“This is a special purpose vehicle and once the government took the decision that we will use a neutral infrastructure company to deliver this service, there is no existing neutral infrastructure company that can deliver it at the moment.”
“So, it had to be specifically formed for the purpose of delivering this service based on the strategic policies and decisions of the government, and it is borne out of our experiences and that is why we chose not to auction it,” she stated.
Confirmation of the contract awarded to NextGen InfraCo Ltd. for the 5G network rollout has sparked concerns raised by investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, May 30, Awuni highlighted that the company was incorporated barely a week before President Akufo-Addo granted executive approval for the deal.
Awuni pointed out that the contract, estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, was awarded through sole sourcing, without giving other companies the opportunity to bid for the project. This lack of competitive bidding raises suspicions about the transparency and fairness of the procurement process, according to Awuni.
Before these claims, the government had announced a partnership with seven industry leaders to develop a new shared infrastructure aimed at delivering affordable 5G mobile broadband services across Ghana. The partners, including Ascend Digital, K-NET, Radisys, Nokia, Tech Mahindra, and two telecommunications companies – AT Ghana and Telecel Ghana, have formed the Next-Gen Infrastructure Company (NGIC), which has been awarded a 5G license.
NGIC is expected to launch 5G services across Ghana within the next six months, with plans for further expansion into other parts of Africa. The partnership aims to enhance the lives of Ghanaians by introducing digital services in education, healthcare, and digital payment transactions through peer-to-peer (P2P), peer-to-merchant (P2M), and merchant-to-merchant (M2M) systems, reducing the digital divide and promoting financial inclusion.
The multi-party partnership will support NGIC in deploying network infrastructure and related services, addressing both enterprise and consumer markets with enhanced digital services. Tech Mahindra will build a Cloud Native Core Network powered by leading original equipment manufacturer (OEM) platforms.
NGIC plans to adopt India’s successful model of affordable handsets, digital platforms, and localized content and applications to replicate this high-speed mobile data model across Africa, starting with Ghana.
The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has stated that efforts are in progress to formulate local content legislation for the telecommunications sector.
“We are in the process of passing local content legislation for the telecommunications sector and have directed that certain categories of managed services in the telecom sector should be reserved for local Ghanaian companies only,” she noted.
She mentioned that the initiative is geared towards strengthening the country’s capacity to oversee its digital infrastructure, applications, and services autonomously, diminishing dependence on expensive foreign consultants and contractors.
The minister emphasized the existence of proficient local alternatives, emphasizing the potential for sustainable growth and development within the sector.
“That is the only way to build our capacity to manage our own digital infrastructure, applications and services. We have to wean ourselves of unhealthy dependence on expensive foreign consultants and contractors when we have competent local alternatives.
“Many of these foreign companies outsource their contracts to local entities and pocket the huge profits… of course, those who benefit from the current system and their collaborators will protest that we must put the interest of the country and our collective development first instead of some misguided, short-term, individual benefit,” she noted.
Support for indigenous companies
The minister revealed this during the formal inauguration of Dynamic Data Solutions Limited (dds55), an information communication technology company, in Accra.
She emphasized the importance of backing indigenous companies, especially in the realm of information technology (IT).
She emphasized that the advancement of the nation depends not solely on foreign investments and multinational corporations, but also on the advancement and empowerment of local enterprises.
In pursuit of this objective, she expressed that besides intentional government policies to supplement their endeavors, there must be a collective change in attitude towards quality and acceptance, as well as encouragement for local products, to strengthen indigenous businesses.
“We must rewire our collective mindset. The notion that anything Ghanaian is inferior while everything foreign is superior must be challenged. Let us champion our own, not just in words but also in our choices, preferences and spending habits. If we do not support made-in-Ghana goods and companies, how can we expect others to do so?
“Also, we recognise that quality may not be top-notch initially. However, we must exhibit healthy tolerance and patience. Supporting local industries means nurturing their growth. It is not mediocrity; it’s confidence-building for our Ghanaian businesses,” the minister explained.
“Remember the ‘Buy Made-in-Ghana’ campaign? It’s time to breathe new life into it. Let us consciously choose Ghanaian services and products – whether it’s clothing, food or technology. By doing so, we create demand, encourage innovation and strengthen our economy,” she concluded.
As of April 30, Ghanaians who have subscribed to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service, despite its lack of licensing in the country, will no longer have access to the service.
This discontinuation also extends to other nations such as Niger, Chad, Egypt, Angola, South Africa, and Burkina Faso, where Starlink’s internet connectivity remains unavailable, as per the Starlink Availability Map as of April 16, 2024.
Starlink announced the impending disconnection in a communiqué, stating, “As we continue to receive regulatory approvals to turn on Availability Map, we would like to remind you that this is in violation of the Starlink Terms and starting April 30th, 2024, you will be unable to connect to the internet except to access your Starlink account where you can make updates to your account. This restriction does not apply in areas designated as ‘Available’ on the Starlink Availability Map.”
Ghana reportedly had Starlink service availability in Q4 2023. However, the current status on the availability map now reads, “Service date is unknown at this time.”
On December 7th, 2023, the National Communications Authority (NCA) of Ghana deemed Starlink’s operations illegal due to the absence of a license and approval for its equipment. Consequently, the public received a caution against procuring Starlink’s equipment or services, while distributors were instructed to halt operations promptly.
However, by March 2024, there emerged a potential for Starlink to obtain licensing in Ghana, particularly amid prevalent internet disruptions in West and Central Africa.
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, mentioned in Parliament that “We have licensed satellite gateway air stations, landing rights, and satellite air station networks. One web has already been licensed. Starlink is in the process of being licensed, and other operators are being encouraged to land in Ghana.”
Despite this, nearly a month has passed with little information on the progress of Starlink’s licensing in Ghana. Currently, Starlink cannot confirm when its services will be available in the country, though they are “working as quickly as possible to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals from local governments globally.”
Starlink, a SpaceX initiative, aims to provide high-speed, low-latency internet worldwide, focusing on rural and remote areas previously without reliable connectivity.
The company is still seeking regulatory approvals to expand its services and encourages supporters to advocate for approval in their respective countries.
Below is the statement communicated by Starlink
STARLINK
The goal of Starlink is to provide reliable high-speed, low-latency internet to people all around the world, especially for those in rural and remote areas where internet connectivity has not been available, unreliable or too expensive.
To do so, we’re working as quickly as possible to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals from local governments globally to be allowed to offer Starlink services in as many places as possible.
As outlined in our Terms of Service, the availability of our Mobile Service Plans is contingent upon various factors, including regulatory approvals. If you are operating your Starlink Kit in an area other than areas designated as “Available” on the Starlink Availability Map, we would like to remind you that this is in violation of the Starlink Terms and starting April 30th, 2024, you will be unable to connect to the internet except to access your Starlink account where you can make updates to your account.
This restriction does not apply in areas designated as “Available” on the Starlink Availability Map Additionally, the “Mobile – Regional” plans are intended for temporary travel and transit, not for permanent use in a location. If you have been using a “Mobile- Regional” plan for more than two months outside of the country in which you ordered Starlink, you must either see Support FAQs to change your account country or return to the country in which your service was ordered. Otherwise, your service will be restricted.
As we continue to receive regulatory approvals to turn Availability Map, we would like to remind you that this is in violation of the Starlink Terms and starting April 30th, 2024, you will be unable to connect to the internet except to access your Starlink account where you can make updates to your account. This restriction does not apply in areas designated as “Available” on the Starlink Availability Map.
Additionally, the “Mobile – Regional” plans are intended for temporary travel and transit, not for permanent use in a location. If you have been using a “Mobile- Regional” plan for more than two months outside of the country in which you ordered Starlink, you must either see Support FAQs to change your account country or return to the country in which your service was ordered. Otherwise, your service will be restricted.
As we continue to receive regulatory approvals to turn on Starlink services in more countries, be sure to check out the Starlink Availability Mag to see where you can stay connected! Should you wish to advocate for Starlink to be approved in a given country, appropriate points of contact may be the local information, communications and technology regulator and/or ministry of communications. Depending on your intended use case, ministries of education, health or economy may also be relevant contacts.
You can read our Terms of Service for more details on our Mobile service plans. Please contact Support if you have additional questions.
Ghana is poised to join the 5G network in September this year, announced Minister of Communications and Digitalization Ursula Owusu-Ekuful amidst ongoing internet service inconsistencies in West Africa.
The National Communications Authority (NCA) revealed in a press release that Ghanaians facing disruptions in their data services may need to wait another five weeks due to a faulty undersea cable.
The NCA’s announcement follows a meeting with subsea cable landing service providers ACE, MainOne, SAT-3, and WACS, held after widespread data service outages impacted several African countries including Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Benin, and Burkina Faso.
Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful affirmed during an interview on Peace FM, “We will be using 5G in September, I can guarantee that.”
Watch video below:
[WATCH] According to Communications Minister and Digitalization Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Ghana Is About to move from 4G Network to 5G Network in September 2024 She confirmed this on Peace Fm Morning Show with The host Kwame Sefa Kayi.
The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu Ekuful, is scheduled to appear before Parliament today, Monday, March 18, 2024.
This appearance is in response to the internet disruption that affected the country starting from Thursday, March 14, which has yet to be fully restored.
Mrs. Owusu Ekuful is expected to provide Parliament with a briefing on the government’s efforts to prevent future occurrences of such internet blackouts.
The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications and the National Communications Authority have already issued statements regarding an undersea fibre optic disruption that is affecting internet services.
During a session in Parliament on Friday, March 15, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the MP for North Tongu, emphasized the need for Mrs. Owusu Ekuful to appear before the House.
He highlighted the magnitude of the disruption and expressed concerns about the lack of clarity regarding the extent of the damage.
He also mentioned the frustrations experienced by citizens in various daily activities, such as financial services and bank transactions.
“It’s even a national security issue. Mr Speaker, I note from the business statement that fortunately for us, the honourable minister responsible for Communications and Digitalization is expected in this House on Monday, the 18th of March, 2024, to answer two questions that are not related to this matter.
“So I want to appeal to you if you can give a ruling that the honourable Minister, when coming to respond to these questions, shall come with a statement on this very important matter of national significance and what the government is doing to help restore normalcy so that we can have access to the internet and to our data services,” he said.
The Member of Parliament for the Asawase constituency in the Ashanti Region, Muntaka Mubarak, has criticized the Minister’s delay in briefing Parliament on the internet disruption situation.
He emphasized the importance of proactive communication from government officials to address public concerns and prevent speculation.
“For me, even Monday [March 18] is looking far because this thing started yesterday in the morning like a joke. Then in the evening, it was coming back and up to now it’s not stable. Nobody knows what’s happening and the minister doesn’t find it necessary to run to this House to brief us on the reason for the country to know what is happening and give some assurances. Mr Speaker, it’s worrying,” he stressed.
Nonetheless, the Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, reassured MPs that he had been in contact with the Communications Minister. They had agreed that she would present a statement on the situation to Parliament on Monday, March 18.
“The Minister for Communication reached out to me yesterday and indicated that she wanted to come today to make a statement on that. Meanwhile, I drew her attention to the fact that she is supposed to appear before us on Monday.
“So the understanding was that she would come on Monday instead and then do it all together. So members be assured that this will be done on Monday. So she will be here,” Afenyo-Markin stated.
Meanwhile, the NCA says telecommunication engineers are working to restore damaged fibre cables providing data services to Ghana and other West African countries affected.
Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, is scheduled to address Parliament today, March 18, 2024, regarding the ongoing internet disruptions that have persisted since last week.
Over the past five days, significant interruptions in internet connectivity have left many subscribers stranded.
According to the National Communications Authority (NCA), the disruptions stem from challenges with undersea fibre optic cables, prompting international technical teams to be deployed to rectify the situation.
The NCA anticipates that it will take up to five weeks to fully restore normalcy amidst these disruptions.
As of Sunday, March 17, many MTN Ghana subscribers began to experience partial restoration in their internet connectivity.
Meanwhile, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful is expected to provide Parliament with crucial updates on the situation and the government’s efforts to address the disruptions.
The internet blackout not only impacted data services but also affected major banks and other digital services across West, Central, and South Africa, leaving users unable to access transactions for extended periods.
In the ongoing murder trial of Joseph Boakye Danquah-Adu, Defence lawyers cross-examined the investigator regarding the involvement of Madam Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the Minister for Communications and Digitization.
Yaw Dankwah, Counsel for Daniel Asiedu, also known as Sexy Don Don, questioned why the Police Investigators had not disclosed the Minister for Communications and Digitization’s involvement.
Prosecution Witnesses detailed how Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful allegedly drove two of the Prosecution Witnesses, mobile phone repairers from Dansoman, to Kanda and handed them over to the police. The witnesses, identified as PW3 and PW4, are crucial to the case.
Sexy Don Don has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder and robbery, while Vincent Bossu, alias Junior Agoogo, has also pleaded not guilty to the charge of conspiracy to rob and is standing trial in lawful custody.
During further cross-examination on Monday, March 11, Defence Counsel Yaw Dankwah questioned why Madam Ursula Owusu-Ekuful did not provide a statement to the Police. Dankwah asked ASP Augustus Nkrumah if he had come across the name Ursula Owusu during his investigation, to which Nkrumah responded in the negative.
“Per your investigations did it become very clear that it was Ursula Owusu who poked PW3 (Kenneth Koranchie) & PW4 (Mobile Phone repairer) in her car and she drove all the way from Dansoman to Kanda Highway and handed them over to the police officers,” Lawyer Dankwah enquired.
He was quick to ask the Investigator whether his investigation revealed that.
But the Witness in his response said, “that was the briefing we got from the regional CID.”
Lawyer Dankwah again went on further to put to the Investigator that, it was true that, “you never ever when you took over the investigation with your team invited Ursula Owusu to give a statement.”
In his response, the Investigator said, “as I have told the Court, it was an investigation team and I don’t take decisions on my own.”
“It is also true that when you and your team and likewise your bosses whom you take instructions from never disclose the involvement of Ursula Owusu who took your witnesses (PW3 and PW4) to hand them over to a police officer at Kanda Highway,” lawyer Yaw Dankwah put to the Investigator.
The Investigator in his response said, “that fact had been cleared in this court that during the briefing she was the one that took them to the police (at Kanda) and I have told this Court.”
The case has been adjourned to March 12, 2024, for further proceedings.
Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has announced that the 2024 budget has approved the use of GHC290,753,009 this year for government’s Rural Telephony project.
As of February 2024, the government has completed the construction of 1,010 out of the planned 2,016 Rural Telephony Sites.
These sites aim to extend mobile network coverage to approximately 4 million residents in selected unserved and underserved communities, a significant step towards bridging the digital divide in Ghana.
Out of the 1,010 sites constructed, 618 are already operational, providing essential Voice and Data services. This development means that citizens in about 1,620 rural communities now have access to mobile services, enhancing social and economic activities in these areas.
The Ministry plans to build the remaining 1,006 sites, integrate them, and activate them for voice and data services this year. This effort is part of the government’s commitment to providing reliable, affordable, and secure broadband infrastructure to all parts of the country.
The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, through the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), is driving the extension of mobile telephony services into all corners of the nation where access is either lacking or insufficient, and where network operators are reluctant to expand their services to because those areas are deemed not to be commercially viable.
According to Madam Owusu-Ekuful, between 2008 and 2016, only 78 Rural Telephony Sites were built by GIFEC.
She revealed that “upon assumption of office in 2017, this government decided to intensify efforts to ensure comprehensive network coverage across the country in line with our Digital Ghana Agenda. Between 2017 and 2018, in collaboration with the private sector, 430 Rural Telephony Sites were built and activated. This concerted effort connected approximately 700,000 previously underserved and unserved Ghanaians in remote communities, helping to bridge the digital divide and foster inclusive development.”
“Not satisfied with the pace of this and In a bid to accelerate and expand the coverage of the Rural Telephony Project, the government in 2020 secured a €155 million facility from the China EXIM Bank to start the Ghana Rural Telephony and Digital Inclusion Project in partnership with Huawei and China National Technical Import and Export Corporation (CNTIC). They engaged a local partner, Ascend Digital Solutions, to execute this project,” she added.
Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has announced that as of February 2024, the government has completed the construction of 1,010 out of the planned 2,016 Rural Telephony Sites.
These sites aim to extend mobile network coverage to approximately 4 million residents in selected unserved and underserved communities, a significant step towards bridging the digital divide in Ghana.
Out of the 1,010 sites constructed, 618 are already operational, providing essential Voice and Data services. This development means that citizens in about 1,620 rural communities now have access to mobile services, enhancing social and economic activities in these areas.
The Ministry plans to build the remaining 1,006 sites, integrate them, and activate them for voice and data services this year. This effort is part of the government’s commitment to providing reliable, affordable, and secure broadband infrastructure to all parts of the country.
The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, through the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), is driving the extension of mobile telephony services into all corners of the nation where access is either lacking or insufficient, and where network operators are reluctant to expand their services to because those areas are deemed not to be commercially viable.
According to Madam Owusu-Ekuful, between 2008 and 2016, only 78 Rural Telephony Sites were built by GIFEC.
She revealed that “upon assumption of office in 2017, this government decided to intensify efforts to ensure comprehensive network coverage across the country in line with our Digital Ghana Agenda. Between 2017 and 2018, in collaboration with the private sector, 430 Rural Telephony Sites were built and activated. This concerted effort connected approximately 700,000 previously underserved and unserved Ghanaians in remote communities, helping to bridge the digital divide and foster inclusive development.”
“Not satisfied with the pace of this and In a bid to accelerate and expand the coverage of the Rural Telephony Project, the government in 2020 secured a €155 million facility from the China EXIM Bank to start the Ghana Rural Telephony and Digital Inclusion Project in partnership with Huawei and China National Technical Import and Export Corporation (CNTIC). They engaged a local partner, Ascend Digital Solutions, to execute this project,” she added.
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the Minister of Communication and Digitalization, has addressed speculations surrounding her potential selection as the running mate for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in the 2024 elections.
In an interview on UTV, the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West clarified that, despite her close relationship with the Vice President, who also serves as the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), they have not had discussions about her being offered such a position.
“We talk a lot but we haven’t talked about running mate matters because we have a lot of work to do. As for me, I would like us to leave him (Dr Bawumia) to take his time to look for the one that he would want to become his running mate.
“…so far, we have been discussing our digital agenda matters and things that we are supposed to do as a matter of urgency…and my focus is also on my parliamentary elections,” she said.
Ursula Owusu reaffirmed her dedication to serving her country in all capacities and said she would be willing to accept any position that would advance the development of her country.
She added “God’s time is the best and for me, I am a servant, so, in whichever capacity God would say I should serve I will do that
“…there will be a time when we will have a female president; the time will be due and we are getting there,” Ursula Owusu added.
Notable figures have emerged in the contest to be Dr. Bawumia’s running mate, including Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, the minister of energy, Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum, and Chief of Staff Akosua Frema Opare.
The Minister for Communications and Digitalisation and Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, is encouraging Ghanaians to give serious consideration to retaining experienced Members of Parliament during the upcoming New Patriotic Party (NPP) primaries and the general elections.
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful emphasized the potential challenges that could arise for the next administration in Parliament due to the resignation of a significant number of seasoned MPs from both political parties. She highlighted the crucial role played by experienced parliamentarians in educating and mentoring new legislators.
According to Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the transfer of knowledge from veteran MPs is essential for the effective functioning of the legislative body.
“Next Parliament will suffer. The majority of the MPs bowing out are very experienced.”
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, drawing on her personal experience, cited OB Amoah as an example of how seasoned Members of Parliament contribute to the development of their colleagues. She specifically mentioned how OB Amoah provided guidance and mentorship to her when she initially assumed office.
By sharing this example, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful highlights the crucial role that experienced MPs play in offering guidance and support to newcomers, helping them navigate the complexities of parliamentary duties.
She emphasized the demanding nature of parliamentary work and stressed the importance of prioritizing the education of new MPs to ensure their effective participation in legislative processes.
“So we, the experienced ones who have decided to continue the race, I’ll urge the delegates to consider that and retain us.”
The Ablekuma West MP made the remarks in an interview on Accra-based UTV.
The Minister for Communications and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has expressed the belief that the aspiration of having a female president leading Ghana can only become a reality through the participation of the two primary political parties: the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
During an interview on UTV’s Mpu Ne Mpu show, the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West observed that the country is approaching a stage where citizens are increasingly open to electing a woman as their leader.
However, she emphasized that this can only materialize if the major political parties actively present female candidates. She attributed this limitation to the dominance of the two major parties in the political landscape and the challenge faced by smaller political parties in securing substantial votes during elections.
“There will come a time when Ghana gets a female President. There will come a time. We are getting there. I said this when Paa Kwesi Nduom was contesting. We went to an event and I represented NPP and we were discussing the progress of women in politics. I said that there must come a time when the two largest political parties provide us females as their running mates to help us reach the dream of a woman being president.
“If you are in these up and coming political parties, your chances of winning the elections are slim but if it is not NPP, then it is NDC. That’s what our politics is looking like. So if NPP or NDC brings a female running mate and win the election, then we get a female Vice President.
“So let us think about it. It’s been over a decade since I said that,” she said.
Ghana has had numerous opportunities to have a female President or Vice President, however, these individuals, such as Akua Donkor, founder and leader of Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) and Brigitte Dzogbenuku of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), who belong to the ‘minor’ political parties have been denied by electorates.
It appeared that the country was ready when former President John Dramani Mahama presented former Education Minister Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang as his running mate during the 2020 general elections, but the NDC lost the elections to the NPP.
Currently, the flagbearers of the two major political parties, John Mahama of the NDC and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia of the NPP are yet to announce who their running mates will be.
Meanwhile, Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful is said to be part of a list purportedly unveiling a roster of individuals eyeing the NPP’s running mate slot.
The unverified compilation consists of names like Chief of Staff, Frema Opare; Roads Minister, Kwasi Amoako Atta; Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu; Energy Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Education Minister, Yaw Osei Adutwum, among others.
But Ursula-Owusu Ekuful, says she has had no conversations with Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia about being his running mate for the 2024 general elections.
According to Mrs Ursula-Ekuful, she has had several conversations with the Vice President, however, they have all focused on Ghana’s digital drives and the measures to be taken to make the lives of Ghanaians better.
“I have had numerous discussions with Dr Bawumia, but we have not talked about the running mate position. We have work to do. I’d want us to leave him to select his own running mate. He should take his time to find someone he wants. We have been talking about what we need to do this year to help citizens and our chances as a party,” she said.
Minister for Communications and Digitalization, Ursula-Owusu Ekuful, says she has had no conversations with Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia about being his running mate for the 2024 general elections.
According to Mrs Ursula-Ekuful, she has had several conversations with the Vice President, however, they have all focused on Ghana’s digital drives and the measures to be taken to make the lives of Ghanaians better.
If it were up to the Ablekuma West legislator, Dr Bawumia should be left alone to adequately prepare and select an individual he believes will be best suited for the role.
“I have had numerous discussions with Dr Bawumia, but we have not talked about the running mate position. We have work to do. I’d want us to leave him to select his own running mate. He should take his time to find someone he wants. We have been talking about what we need to do this year to help citizens and our chances as a party,” she said.
During an appearance on UTV’s Mpu Ne Mpu show, she expressed shock over her name being part of the individuals reportedly being considered to become running mate of the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
When asked by the host of Mpu ne Mpu on UTV whether she was aware that her name was captured in the list of running mates for the Vice President, she replied “saa” to wit “really.”.
Shortly after Dr Bawumia was elected flagbearer of the NPP in November 2023, a list purportedly unveiling a roster of individuals eyeing the Vice President slot emerged on social media.
The unverified compilation consisted of names like Chief of Staff, Frema Opare; Roads Minister, Kwasi Amoako Atta; Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu; Energy Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Education Minister, Yaw Osei Adutwum, among others.
It has been over two months, and Dr Bawumia is yet to announce his running mate ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Some individuals have advised the Vice President to select an individual who hails from the Ashanti Region as his running mate to solidify his votes in their stronghold.
Minister for Communications and Digitalization, Ursula-Owusu Ekuful, is of the assertion that the dream of Ghana being led by a female president can only be accomplished by the two major political parties: the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
In an interview on UTV’s Mpu Ne Mpu show, the Ablekuma West MP noted that the country is already nearing the stage where its citizens will be willing to cast their ballot for a woman to lead the nation.
She however noted that this can only be done if the two major political parties avail themselves. She explained that this is due to the duopoly in the political landscape and the failure of smaller political parties to garner a significant number of votes during elections.
“There will come a time when Ghana gets a female President. There will come a time. We are getting there. I said this when Paa Kwesi Nduom was contesting. We went to an event and I represented NPP and we were discussing the progress of women in politics. I said that there must come a time when the two largest political parties provide us females as their running mates to help us reach the dream of a woman being president.
“If you are in these up and coming political parties, your chances of winning the elections are slim but if it is not NPP, then it is NDC. That’s what our politics is looking like. So if NPP or NDC brings a female running mate and win the election, then we get a female Vice President.
“So let us think about it. It’s been over a decade since I said that,” she said.
Ghana has had numerous opportunities to have a female President or Vice President, however, these individuals, such as Akua Donkor, founder and leader of Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) and Brigitte Dzogbenuku of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), who belong to the ‘minor’ political parties have been denied by electorates.
It appeared that the country was ready when former President John Dramani Mahama presented former Education Minister Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang as his running mate during the 2020 general elections, but the NDC lost the elections to the NPP.
Currently, the flagbearers of the two major political parties, John Mahama of the NDC and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia of the NPP are yet to announce who their running mates will be.
Meanwhile, Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful is said to be part of a list purportedly unveiling a roster of individuals eyeing the NPP’s running mate slot.
The unverified compilation consists of names like Chief of Staff, Frema Opare; Roads Minister, Kwasi Amoako Atta; Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu; Energy Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Education Minister, Yaw Osei Adutwum, among others.
But Ursula-Owusu Ekuful, says she has had no conversations with Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia about being his running mate for the 2024 general elections.
According to Mrs Ursula-Ekuful, she has had several conversations with the Vice President, however, they have all focused on Ghana’s digital drives and the measures to be taken to make the lives of Ghanaians better.
“I have had numerous discussions with Dr Bawumia, but we have not talked about the running mate position. We have work to do. I’d want us to leave him to select his own running mate. He should take his time to find someone he wants. We have been talking about what we need to do this year to help citizens and our chances as a party,” she said.
Minister for Communications and Digitalization, Ursula-Owusu Ekuful, has not ruled out the possibility of one day leading the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to a general election to become Ghana’s president.
During an appearance on UTV’s Mpu Ne Mpu show, the Ablekuma West MP was asked if she ever considered becoming the NPP’s flagbearer someday.
Mrs Owusu-Ekuful did not provide a definite answer but indicated that she believes in divine timing and that if it is meant for her to become the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), it will happen in its own time
“God’s time is the best. I am here to serve the country. In whatever capacity God says I should serve, I will,” she said.
This comes at a time when the Communications Minister is part of a list purportedly unveiling a roster of individuals eyeing the Vice President slot.
The unverified compilation consists of names like Chief of Staff, Frema Opare; Roads Minister, Kwasi Amoako Atta; Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu; Energy Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Education Minister, Yaw Osei Adutwum, among others.
But Ursula-Owusu Ekuful, says she has had no conversations with Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia about being his running mate for the 2024 general elections.
According to Mrs Ursula-Ekuful, she has had several conversations with the Vice President, however, they have all focused on Ghana’s digital drives and the measures to be taken to make the lives of Ghanaians better.
“I have had numerous discussions with Dr Bawumia, but we have not talked about the running mate position. We have work to do. I’d want us to leave him to select his own running mate. He should take his time to find someone he wants. We have been talking about what we need to do this year to help citizens and our chances as a party,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Ablekuma West MP is of the assertion that Ghana is reaching a stage where it will one day get a female president or Vice President.
“There will come a time when Ghana gets a female President. There will come a time. We are getting there,” she said on the show.
Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, Ursula-Owusu Ekuful, has entreated bigwigs of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to give its flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia enough time to pick his running mate.
Shortly after Dr Bawumia was elected flagbearer of the NPP in November 2023, a list purportedly unveiling a roster of individuals eyeing the Vice President slot emerged on social media.
The unverified compilation consisted of names like Chief of Staff, Frema Opare; Roads Minister, Kwasi Amoako Atta; Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu; Energy Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Education Minister, Yaw Osei Adutwum, among others.
It has been over two months, and Dr Bawumia is yet to announce his running mate ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Mrs. Ursula-Ekuful revealed that she has engaged in several discussions with Vice President Bawumia, but none of these conversations revolved around the running mate position.
She strongly advocates for allowing Dr Bawumia the autonomy to prepare and choose an individual he deems most fitting for the role.
“I have had numerous discussions with Dr Bawumia, but we have not talked about the running mate position. We have work to do. I’d want us to leave him to select his own running mate. He should take his time to find someone he wants. We have been talking about what we need to do this year to help citizens and our chances as a party,” she said on UTV’s Mpu Ne Mpu show.
Some individuals have advised the Vice President to select an individual who hails from the Ashanti Region as his running mate to solidify his votes in their stronghold.
In a recent interview on Peace FM, Ghana’s Minister of Communications and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, took a lighthearted yet earnest approach as she urge men to reconsider breaking women’s hearts.
In a playful exchange with the show’s host, Owusu-Ekuful emphasized the resilience of women, stating, “You are breaking our hearts, but we are still standing.”
Acknowledging the indispensable role men play in women’s lives, she highlighted the emotional toll inflicted by heartbreak while commending women for their enduring strength.
“We accept we can’t live without you but you also are breaking our hearts. You are breaking our hearts but we are still standing,” Ursula Owusu stated.
The Minister also took a moment to commend Afua Asantewaa for concluding a Guinness World Record in the longest individual singing marathon on December 29, 2023.
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, a prominent Ghanaian lawyer, women’s rights activist, and politician representing the Ablekuma West Constituency, continues to advocate for social issues alongside her political responsibilities.
The development of the Five-Year Strategic Plan aligns with Section 3(b) of the NCA Act, 2008 (Act 769), with the primary goal of establishing clearly defined objectives and measurable steps for the Authority.
In her keynote address, the Honorable Minister underscored the importance of the NCA’s regulatory efforts over the years. She emphasized the need for the Authority to remain vigilant and focused, especially in dealing with emergent disruptive technologies and the swiftly evolving technological landscape.
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister for Communications and Digitalisation
In her keynote address, the Honorable Minister emphasized the importance of the National Communications Authority’s (NCA) regulatory efforts over the years. She urged the Authority to maintain vigilance and focus, especially in the face of emergent disruptive technologies and the rapidly changing technological landscape.
She further commended the strategies outlined in the plan, expressing her satisfaction, “I am impressed with the strategies aimed at flourishing and contributing to a globally competitive and rapidly changing environment.
“This means we will create the enabling environment for Ghanaian solutions to compete with other global solutions”.
Dr. Joe Anokye, Director General of the NCA
Dr. Joe Anokye, the Director General of the Authority, highlighted that the Electronic Communications Industry is fast-paced, necessitating continuous innovations and strategies to keep pace.
He emphasized that the development of strategies is crucial in seizing new opportunities and effectively overcoming challenges within the industry.
He said, “The Five-Year Strategic Plan marks a significant milestone on our path to innovation, growth, and a long-lasting impact.”
Dr. Anokye also expressed confidence that the Strategic Plan will enhance productivity, align goals with resources, improve communication and collaboration, and enhance staff welfare.
Board Chairman of NCA, Okatakyie Ababio Boakye Danquah II
In his remarks, Okatakyie Ababio Boakye Danquah II, the Board Chairman of the NCA, known in private life as Isaac Emmil Osei-Bonsu Jnr, expressed that the launch of the Five-Year Strategic Plan is a realization of the need envisioned by the Board during its inauguration in 2021.
“It is evident that we are at a critical point as we launch the Strategic Plan for 2024–2028, which will serve as our blueprint for the forthcoming five years. It is an exciting moment for the NCA, as the creation of this document has unveiled numerous untapped opportunities within the communications sector”, he said.
The Board Chairman further urged all stakeholders to collaborate with the NCA to ensure the full realisation of the objectives of the Strategic Plan by the end of 2028.
Prof. Ezer Osei Yeboah-Boateng, Deputy Director-General for Technical Operation
During the launch, Prof. Ezer Osei Yeboah-Boateng, Deputy Director-General for Technical Operations, shared some highlights of the Strategic Plan. He emphasized that the plan is a testament to the National Communications Authority’s (NCA) dedication to excellence, innovation, and inclusivity.
Prof. Yeboah-Boateng highlighted that the plan reflects the Authority’s commitment to fostering a communications environment that empowers individuals, promotes economic growth, and strengthens the social fabric of the nation.
He outlined the four Strategic pillars of the Strategic Plan as follows:
Pillar 1 – Structure and reposition research, innovation, and process improvement throughout NCA to be abreast with industry development by 2028
Pillar 2 – Build coordination and collaborative structures for enhanced engagement by 2028
Pillar 3 – Develop and Empower human resource by 2028
Pillar 4 – Optimise current resources, diversify and develop new areas of growth, including revenue
With the launch of the Five-Year Strategic Plan, the Authority, among other things, has recast its mission statement as ‘Moving from Good to a Great Regulator; An innovative, agile, professional, and proactive Regulator, adaptive to emerging changes in the communication and digital eco-system and delivering optimally to all its stakeholders.’
Prior to this event, the Authority held an internal launch of the Plan for its Staff Members on Friday, January 12, at the Head Office in Accra.
Minister for Communication and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has called on the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the National Media Commission (NMC) to strengthen their supervisory roles in overseeing the media landscape as the country prepares for the 2024 polls.
The minister, while speaking at the launch of the NCA’s 5-year strategic plan in Accra, highlighted the importance of media freedom but also emphasized the need for regulated content to prevent the dissemination of potentially inflammatory material.
She called for sanctions against media houses that fail to sanitize their airwaves to serve as a deterrent to others and not compromise the peace the country currently enjoys.
“Two key regulators in this sector are the NCA and the NMC. I know the NCA has set up a broadcast monitoring centre here, which the NMC is using to monitor the content that is put out by all broadcasters, and those who fall foul of their own guidelines are sanctioned. I expect them to deepen that collaboration to ensure that together, we work to sanitize the airwaves, and we don’t see an upsurge in fake news, media publications, defamatory material, and things that will tend to disturb or threaten the peace and security of our nation.”
“So I am expecting the two regulators to work closely together this year to monitor what’s put out and work with the Ghana Journalists Association and Independent Broadcasters Association to sanitize the space for our collective good,” she stated.
In November last year, the National Media Commission (NMC) wrote to the National Communications Authority (NCA), to withdraw the licenses of Onua TV and Onua FM for becoming “the soundtrack to hateful rhetoric carefully orchestrated to incite ethnic division, provoke mutiny in the armed forces and prey upon the youth for insurrection against the state.”
According to the NMC, the two stations have “systematically sought to subvert critical national institutions including the Council of State and the Ghana Armed Forces in a manner that constitutes clear and present danger to the public interest.”
Despite this move, the two media houses continue to operate.
Meanwhile, several distinguished individuals and reputable organizations, such as the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Natioanl Peace Council have called on the public to ensure the 2024 election is devoid of any electoral violence.
The Electoral Commission (EC) and the Police Service have been encouraged to up their game to curtail any electoral malpractice and disturbance during voting and counting of votes.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ablekuma West constituency, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has asserted that none of the aspiring candidates vying for the parliamentary seat in her constituency can rival her track record in terms of development.
In an interview on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo the Minister of Communications and Digitalization, expressed confidence in her ability to outshine any contender when it comes to serving the constituents and driving development initiatives.
“When you look at those contesting for the Ablekuma West constituency, both in NPP and NDC, I believe that the kind of work I would be able to do, they can’t do a quarter of it because I started doing politics from way back,” she said.
The minister emphasized that her commitment to the constituency transcends party lines.
“I don’t only do NPP work in the constituency, and when you look at parliament, those that really contribute, I am part of them. When it comes to the females, I am one of the leading female parliamentarians.
“I have the belief that I can do it better than any other aspirant on both sides of the political divide, so they should allow me to continue my tenure and continue with my good works,” she affirmed.
Meanwhile, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has scheduled January 27, 2024, as the day for its parliamentary primaries.
A social media user is calling for a thorough investigation into the work of KelniGvG, a company said to have saved Ghana an estimated GH¢1.5 billion in revenue losses through the Common Platform (CP).
This comes at a time when Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML), allegedly an extension of a timber company, is facing scrutiny over a GH₵ 3 billion contract from the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for “revenue assurance” services in the downstream petroleum sector.
The Fourth Estate’s investigative report reveals that SML, despite lacking experience, was “handpicked for the contract through the single-source procurement method.”
First was the claim SML made in March 2021 that it had saved Ghana over GH₵1 billion in revenue because of its services but that assertion per a report is false.
As such, there is a call for investigations into the claim that government was able to save an estimated GH¢1.5 billion in revenue losses through the Common Platform (CP) managed by KelniGvG.
“It’s time to expose SML’s twin bro KelniGVG, They claim to ve saved GHC1.5bn. Kelni hs tkn o/ the Comms Ministry. Rural Telephny, Girls in ICT all gvn to the same company. @UrsulaOw milkn Gh dry with one Chief Philip,” the X user wrote.
In 2021, Communication and Digitization Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, then a designate, said the amount is in addition to some GH¢470 million in revenue taxes saved between the first quarter of 2017 when the platform was announced.
Providing updates during her ministerial vetting on Monday, February 15, 2021, the nominee justified that the amount would not have been realised if not for the implementation of the Common Platform.
“An estimated GH¢470 million in taxes was saved between Q1 2017 till date as a result of the announcement of the implementation of the platform and a potential GH¢1.5 billion loss through to the end of the contract if the platform had not been implemented,” she told the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
A video circulating on social media, notably on TikTok, captures the Minister of Communication and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, displaying her dancing prowess.
Dressed in an elegant long white outfit, Ursula energetically dances to the popular Ghanaian song “Wogbe jeke” by Amanzeba at a birthday party.
In the video, the minister enthusiastically sings along to the lyrics, creating a lively atmosphere as others join in the dance, cheering her on.
The footage is captioned “Hon. Ursula Owusu rocking it with Mrs. Susana Mensah on her 60th birthday.”
The Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) is still contesting the imposition of a $10,000 fee for Digital Terrestrial Television (DDT).
Asserting that such a move is an unfair financial strain on broadcasters, GIBA is now taking a stand against what it perceives as an overreach of the Minister of Communication, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful‘s authority, calling for transparent dialogue and fair consideration of broadcasters’ financial constraints.
“GIBA has some legitimate case to make even if the $10,000 is the acceptable fee; the Minister on her own cannot impose that fee because this is a public fee and charge, so it must come to the Subsidiary Legislation Of Parliament for them to approve the charges before the minister can charge that fee,” he said.
The statement comes amid ongoing discussions and decisions regarding the pricing structure of DTT services. The GIBA President, whose organization represents a significant portion of the country’s broadcasters, expressed concerns about the potential impact on the media industry.
He issued a fervent plea for careful consideration in the pricing of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), underscoring the pivotal role of the media as a cornerstone of democracy.
Addressing the issue on JoyNews’ PM Express, Mr Sunkwa-Mills, noted that: “It’s a bit simplistic to look at the commercial model of exactly how much you have spent and then you just divide and split – that is a very simplistic model. It is not operated like that, especially for media in so many countries because you want your media to survive.”
He consequently urged for transparent dialogues with the sector Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, concerning the excessively high costs associated with operating on the national DTT platform.
“So the resolution to this matter is for the minister to come to parliament with the fee for approval. I also think that GIBA must be minded not to be overly litigious because you may still be in court but if the minister fulfills the legal requirement of coming to Parliament and parliament approves it, you would have to pay,” he said.
President of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) has issued a fervent plea for careful consideration in the pricing of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), underscoring the pivotal role of the media as a cornerstone of democracy.
The statement comes amid ongoing discussions and decisions regarding the pricing structure of DTT services. The GIBA President, whose organization represents a significant portion of the country’s broadcasters, expressed concerns about the potential impact on the media industry.
Addressing the issue on JoyNews’ PM Express, Mr Sunkwa-Mills, noted that: “It’s a bit simplistic to look at the commercial model of exactly how much you have spent and then you just divide and split – that is a very simplistic model. It is not operated like that, especially for media in so many countries because you want your media to survive.”
He consequently urged for transparent dialogues with the sector Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, concerning the excessively high costs associated with operating on the national DTT platform.
He emphasized the necessity to take into account the diverse circumstances of different broadcasters, raising queries about whether entities such as the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and community radio stations should share an identical monthly cost.
Mr. Sunkwa-Mills expressed dissatisfaction with the procedure, disclosing that despite an initial understanding for a subsequent meeting with the Ministry and the Communication Committee in Parliament, the Minister released pricing details the following day.
According to GIBA, this action overlooked the ongoing discussions and the imperative for additional engagement.
The President of GIBA underscored that the association had sought legal interpretation to comprehend the Minister’s authority in establishing the figure without thorough engagement and clarification on the cost structure.
He emphasized the significance of a transparent process and conveyed optimism that a reasonable resolution would be attained through dialogue.
Minister of Communications and Ablekuma West Member of Parliament, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has expressed concern regarding the Anti-LGBT bill’s criminalization of sex toys.
She said that heterosexual couples who use sex toys to improve their sex lives would unintentionally be impacted by the criminalization of sex toy use found in clause 3(c) of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021.
Communications Minister and MP for Ablekuma West, Ursula Owusu, had some concerns about criminalising the use of sex toys among heterosexual couples. #JoyNewspic.twitter.com/6hGJ4jVXLU
Clause 3(c) of the bill explicitly prohibits sexual intercourse between a man and an inanimate object, or between a woman and an inanimate object.
She emphasized that if the intention of the house is to criminalize sex toys, it should be explicitly stated that the bill is not solely directed at the LGBT community but applies to everyone.
In the absence of such clarity, she has urged for the immediate removal of Clause 3(c).
These remarks were made during the deliberation of the Anti-LGBT bill on the floor of Parliament.
“And I think we raised this when the committee was considering it that the proposed amendment in 3(c) may create unintended consequences because sexual intercourse between a man and an inanimate object or between a woman and an inanimate object would necessarily include sexual intercourse with all manner of aids that couple use to enhance the sexual experience.”
“And I’m not sure if that’s what the intention of this bill is. It would necessarily include sex toys and other aids that couples, heterosexual couples also use to enhance the sexual experience.
“So if that is what the house intends then we have to be clear in our minds that we may be criminalising activities which may not necessarily be limited to only those LGBTQI community that the target of this bill is, but it may also be targeting straight couples who use sex enhancement tools to enhance the sexual experience.
“So we need to be mindful of the unintended consequences of 3(c) could be and I’ll propose that 3(c) be deleted from this amendment.”
Disagreements emerged in Parliament regarding the appropriate punishment for individuals engaging in unnatural carnal knowledge within the LGBTQ+ community.
The proposed bill seeks to criminalize such activities, prescribing a penalty of 3 to 5 years.
However, the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee suggested a prison term of up to 3 years without specifying a minimum sentence. The Chairman of the Committee clarified the reasoning behind this proposal on Tuesday, December 12, 2023.
“Most of the religious bodies were supporting the fact that they would give people who are prepared to go through reforms, the opportunity to go through. If we make a strict law that if you are found guilty, or you practice this, you don’t have an option. Mr. Speaker, we don’t have a community service that would have been more severe than giving the person a custodial sentence, because the society will look down upon you.”
“But to caution you or to give you deserve imprisonment or imprisonment, if we leave it to the discretion of the judge, they are also members of this society, they are learned, and depending on the circumstances, that’s why I am comfortable if we give the upper limit without saying that the person must be imprisoned as a minimum requirement.”
Sam George, one of the bill’s sponsors, stated that guidance on the amount of penalty units to be imposed on offenders would be essential in judging the severity of the appropriate punishment.
“We should then get advice on what the minimum penalty or 750 units is concurrent with, is it three months or six months? So we have a lower limit also for custodial sentence,” he said on the floor.”
But the Speaker interjected saying that there was already a law on equivalence on penalty units and therefore “that will apply.”
Following the discussions, the Speaker postponed the questions to the parliamentary drafters. Their task is to create a comprehensive document that accurately mirrors the intentions expressed by various legislators during the deliberations.
Background
On Tuesday, June 29, 2021, Speaker Alban Bagbin received a private member’s bill that is controversial regarding LGBT issues. Eight MPs are leading the charge on it.
The advocates want homosexuality to be criminalized in the nation, along with its funding, promotion, and advocacy.
Minister of Communications and Digitization, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has asserted that the government has no intentions to divest its 30% shareholding in Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited (Vodafone Ghana).
In a definite statement to Parliament, she disclosed that Vodafone Ghana, holding a 70% stake in the Ghana Telecommunications Company, completed the transfer of its shares to the Telecel Group in February 2023.
On Monday, December 11, 2023, the Minister made this known while responding to a query from Mr. Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwame Dafeamekpor, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi. Mr. Dafeamekpor sought clarification on the government’s intentions regarding the sale of its shares in Vodafone Ghana.
Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful highlighted that according to the shareholders agreement, the consent of the minority shareholder (Ghana Government) is not necessary for Vodafone Ghana (the majority shareholder) to transfer or sell its shareholding in Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited. She emphasized that the agreement does not mandate the concern of the minority shareholder.
Mr Dafeamekpor asked the Minister whether she would be able to tell the House the value for the 70 per cent share that Vodafone Group Plc got in transferring its share in Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited to Telecel Group.
“Mr Speaker, the question was specific, as to whether the Government has any plans of selling its shares in Vodafone Ghana Ltd. The answer has also been specific, that (the) Government has no such plans,” she said.
“If the Honourable Member requires any further information, I suggest that he files a substantive question to which I will come and give a response. I do not have that information at the top of my head. Thank you, Mr Speaker.”
Minister of Communication and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has denied rumors that the government has sold its 30% stake in Vodafone Ghana.
“Mr. Speaker, the Government of Ghana has no plans to sell its thirty percent (30%) shareholding in the Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited,” Ursula responded categorically to the question. Vodafone Ghana transferred its seventy percent (70% stake in the company to the Telecel Group in February 2023.”
The Minister Clarifies Government’s Stance on Vodafone Ghana Shares Transfer
The minister’s clarification comes in response to a query from the Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Defeamekpor, who inquired about the government’s intentions regarding the sale of its shares in Vodafone Ghana.
The National Communications Authority (NCA) has granted the ultimate approval for the transfer of the 70 percent majority shares in Vodafone Ghana (Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited) from Vodafone Group Plc to Telecel Group.
In a release on February 21, 2023, the National Communications Authority (NCA) explained that the final approval follows “satisfaction of conditions outlined in the conditional approval of the shares transfer, including the agreement of the Government of Ghana, who remains the 30% minority shareholder.”
On January 16, 2023, the National Communications Authority (NCA) had announced its conditional approval for the transfer of the 70 percent majority shares in Vodafone Ghana from Vodafone Group Plc (the Seller) to Telecel Group (the Buyer).
The approval was granted following an evaluation of the revised proposal from the Telecel Group. The conditions included concessions from the Seller and representations made by the Buyer to the NCA.
The regulator emphasized its commitment to overseeing the takeover process in alignment with Vodafone Ghana’s existing license conditions, ensuring that consumer interests remain a top priority.
Minister of Communications and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has emphasized Ghana’s commitment to leveraging digital tools for expediting the integration of the continent through trade.
She highlighted the establishment of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Ghana as a crucial step in positioning the country as the digital gateway in Africa.
Addressing the first global conference on cyber capacity building in Accra on November 29, 2023, Owusu-Ekuful outlined the government’s objectives, including bridging the digital divide, promoting digital transformation, and stimulating economic growth in Ghana.
The AfCFTA, a key initiative of Agenda 2063, is an ambitious trade agreement encompassing critical aspects of Africa’s economy, such as digital trade and investment protection. By removing trade barriers within Africa, AfCFTA aims to significantly enhance intra-Africa trade, fostering value-added production and trade across various sectors.
Implemented in January 2021, AfCFTA is the world’s largest free trade area, encompassing 55 African countries with a combined population of 1.3 billion and a GDP exceeding $3.4 trillion. The agreement is designed to strengthen African economies, making them more resilient to internal and external shocks.
Owusu-Ekuful also encouraged Ghanaians to embrace Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as part of the broader digitalization efforts.
“Our major goal is to bridge the digital divide, facilitate our digital transformation, to energize Ghana’s economic growth. This is designed to establish Ghana as the continent’s digital gateway and it is no accident that we host Africa Continental Free Trade Area and are poised to use digital tools to accelerate the integration of the continent through trade,” the Communications and Digitalization Minister said.
She added that, “We have launched interventions to bridge the digital divide and encourage citizens to adopt ICT. We are implementing a rural telephony that will connect over 4 million unserved and underserved citizens to voice and data services on a shared national platform and network.”
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful emphasized the government’s intentional efforts to formalize the economy by implementing various digital initiatives. These initiatives include mobile money interoperability, the national ID card project, rural telephony, and several others.
Owusu-Ekuful highlighted the significance of the national ID card, functioning as a unified Electronic ID (EID) for all digital transactions. She pointed out that this initiative plays a crucial role in combating identity theft, as well as addressing issues related to crime, fraud, and corruption.
During a parliamentary session on Tuesday, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, and Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful clashed over the contentious Import Restrictions Bill.
The disagreement led to a heated exchange, only brought to a close by the Speaker’s authoritative intervention, with Ursula eventually concurring to end the dispute.
The parliamentary drama unfolded after another unsuccessful attempt by the Minister of Trade, KT Hammond, to present the controversial Import Restrictions Bill. The bill aims to grant the Trade Ministry the authority to approve or disapprove the importation of a specified list of products.
The Minority MPs, who had adamantly pledged to oppose both the laying and approval of the bill, maintained their vigorous resistance. Ursula questioned the Speaker, expressing her concern about why he wouldn’t instruct the Minority to withhold their objections since the bill had not yet been laid, a directive the Speaker had previously given to the Trade and Industry Minister, K.T. Hammond.
Ursula contended that there was no valid reason for the Minority’s opposition, as, from her perspective, there was nothing formally presented before the House that warranted such resistance.
After close to a minute of exchange of words, the Speaker said, “Hon. Minister, Honourable Minister, Honourable Minister, this is not the Ministry of Communications, this is Parliament.”
In response, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said, “I am very much aware of that, Sir,” before the speaker thundered, “Resume your seat.”
Following the Speaker’s comment, a loud voice was heard saying, “Sit down”. The individual behind the phrase “Sit down” which is now on X’s trends list, remains unknown.
For some users, they believe Ningo-Prampram MP, Sam Nartey George was the individual who made the utterance.
Mr George and Mrs Owusu-Ekuful have clashed over the re-registration SIM Card exercises which saw millions of SIMs being blocked.
The man who shouted “sit down”…Only one name comes to mind…Sam Dzata Nbs cooking for Parliament House 🔥 😂 pic.twitter.com/VztwhjFqDg
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has scolded the Minister for Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, for interrupting a debate on a yet-to-be-laid Legislative Instrument (L.I.) in the House.
The L.I., which seeks to restrict the importation of strategic products into the country, sparked a heated discussion among the MPs on Tuesday, November 28, 2023.
The Minister, who is also the MP for Ablekuma West, questioned the relevance of the debate, saying that she had no idea what the MPs were debating, since the L.I. had not been officially laid before the House.
She remarked, “Mr. Speaker, I believe that the L.I. has not been laid. So I have no idea what they are debating in this House today. There is nothing before the House. So, as you indicated to the minister that we are not yet there, I was of the opinion that you would tell my colleagues on the other side that there is nothing before us.”
The Speaker, however, was not pleased with her comments and asked her if she had been present from the very beginning of the proceedings. He also asked her if she listened to herself when she was talking.
“Hon. Minister, were you here from the very beginning?” to which Ursula Owusu-Ekuful responded, “No, I have been here since morning, even before the prayer,” he reportedly asked.
The Speaker further probed, “Then why did you say no? Do you really listen to yourself when you are talking?”
“Yes, I do,” she responded.
“The Speaker interjected again, saying, “If you were here from the very beginning, and I asked if you were here from the very first beginning, you said no. Then you continue, and now you are telling me you were here even before I entered. So, it meant you were not listening to yourself,” he said.
Defending herself, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful stated, “This is the first time I am appearing in the House this week. I have been here since the beginning of proceedings today, and I do listen to myself very carefully.”
Expressing his dissatisfaction, the Speaker retorted, “I don’t think so,” and Ursula responded by stating he was entitled to his opinion.
The Speaker then ordered her to resume her seat, emphasizing, “Hon. Minister, this is not the Ministry of Communication; this is parliament. Resume your seat!”
Later, the Speaker clarified that the issue was brought to his attention by the Minister of Trade, Kobina Tahir Hammond. Despite being persuaded by KT Hammond, he sought input from the House before officially allowing the instrument to be laid, leading to the ongoing debate on the L.I.
The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation has initiated a training program for 1,000 girls in the Northern Region, as part of the Girls-in-ICT programme.
The training, commencing on Monday, aims to equip the participants with essential Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills, including coding, cyber security, and website development.
The selected girls come from all 16 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies in the region, namely Mion, Karaga, Tolon, Kumbungu, Savelugu, Tamale, Nanton, Sagnarigu, Kpandai, Gushegu, Tatali-Sangule, Nanumba South, Nanumba North, Yendi, Saboba, and Zabzugu.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation and shared with the Ghana News Agency in Tamale, it was highlighted that the Girls-In-ICT programme was established in 2012 by the International Telecommunications Union.
The program aims to create a global environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women to consider pursuing studies and careers in the expanding field of ICTs.
The statement said: “The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, under the stewardship of Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, since 2017, adopted the initiative as a platform to equip girls between the ages of nine and 15 years (Upper Primary to Junior High School) with knowledge and skills in basic ICT and coding.
“The Girls-In-ICT programme is all about breaking the myth around women involving themselves in ICT,” the statement added.
“After the training, the girls will partake in District and Regional level competitions in ICT, as well as a mentorship and climax session from July 31 to August 01, where the best 100 girls to emerge out of the competition, will be given awards (laptops and certificates),” the statement added.
As part of the Girls-in-ICT Programme, the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation has conducted training sessions for 100 teachers from all districts in the region. These teachers have been equipped with relevant ICT skills to enable them to effectively train the girls in the region.
Following the training, an Open Day experience will be organized, where the top 100 girls will have the opportunity to visit various offices in Accra. They will have the chance to tour the facilities of Mobile Network Operators, companies in the ICT industry, and selected agencies of the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation. This experience will provide them with valuable interactions, especially with women who are working in the industry.
The aim of this initiative is to encourage and empower girls to pursue studies and careers in the field of ICT, creating a more inclusive and diverse environment in the technology sector.
It mentioned some achievements under the programme from 2017 to 2022 saying “8,000 girls have been trained and mentored (Ashanti, Western, Central, Oti, Western North, North East, Bono, Bono-East and Ahafo, 800 teachers trained to train more girls in ICT beyond the programme, 43 cyber laboratories have been set up with 120 more being set up this year, and 1,267 laptops given to teachers and top-performing girls.”
It said this year, the Ministry targeted 5,000 girls and 500 teachers from five regions including Savannah, Northern, Eastern, Volta and Greater Accra to benefit from the Girls-in-ICT programme with Savannah Region already benefiting from the programme in May, this year.
Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) has reacted to a press statement said to have been issued by its outfit by Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
Mr Ablakwa, in efforts to prove that Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, awarded a US$48million contract without Public Procurement Authority (PPA) approval cited a statement dated December 15, 2021 from GIFEC.
Per the statement titled “Proof of existing contract between Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications and Ascend Digital Solutions Limited”, there is an existing contract with Ascend Digital Solutions, a Nigerian company Mr Ablakwa claims has hijacked the Communications & Digitalization sector.
Acting Administrator of GIFEC, Prince Ofosu Sefah, who is a signature to the said letter confirmed that the Nigerian company is currently executing on behalf of GIFEC a contract for Engineering Design, Build, Rollout and Telephony Project involving Cell Sites in the 2016 communities.
“Ascend Digital Solutions Limited has been delivering these services to us since February 2020,” the letter revealed, adding that “the duration of the Build and Rollout Contract is until August 2023, while the Managed Services Contract is renewable, after an initial agreement for two years.”
But in a statement dated July 7, 2023, GIFEC noted that “the Administrator does not recall issuing the said letter.”
According to the company, the two-year old statement does not bear requisite characteristics of an official GIFEC letter, with a reference number and trypically contains other features which are lacking on the said letter.
“Extensive checks at the GIFEC Secretariat also, indicates that there is no record of such letter being issued,” the statement added.
With regards to the substantive subject matter of the Ghana Rural Telephony and Digital Inclusion Project (GRT&DIP), GIFEC confirmed that it is implementing the project on behalf of the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation (MoCD), and the contractual technical partners are Huawei and CNTIC.
All applicable approvals for the GRT&DIP contract (Cabinet, Parliamentary and Public Procurement Authority) are in place,” GIFEC noted.
In view of this, GIFEC asserted that it is not undertaking any contract not approved by all relevant authorities.
“GIFEC has been hard at work over the last couple of years, implementing this unprecedented and beneficial national project on behalf of the MoCD and in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders, towards closing the Digital Divide,” it added.
The role of GIFEC in the US$48million contract scandal came to being after Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful challenged Mr Ablakwa to provide evidence that her outfit awarded the said contract to Ascend Digital Solutions Limited.
Mr Ablakwa in a Facebook post on July 6, 2023, accused Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful of awarding a US$48million contract awarded without Public Procurement Authority (PPA) approval.
He made this claim while citing a PPA’s response to his request made under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The request dated 8th June was titled “REQUEST FOR INFORMATION,” and read in part: “Respectfully, can you confirm if the Public Procurement Authority has granted procurement approval as required per theProcurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) as amended with (Act 914) to Ascend Digital Solutions under a US$48 million Rural Telephony Project contract purportedly for Engineering, Design, Build, Rollout and Managed Services which is being executed by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization since the year 2020.”
The PPA in its response dated 30th June, 2023 and signed by Deputy Chief Executive Kwame Prempeh per the letter shared by the North Tongu MP read: “We wish to inform you that our records do not reflect any information of the above-mentioned project.”
But Mrs Ursusla Owusu-Ekuful insisted the claims levelled against her by Mr Ablakwa are false and asked him to “please produce the contract you claim I signed without PPA approval.”
Barely 5 hours after being dared to provide evidence to back his claim that Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, awarded a US$48million contract without Public Procurement Authority (PPA) approval, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has released his first evidence.
The North Tongu MP, Mr Ablakwa, after announcing his acceptance of the Communications Minister’s challenge on the US$48million scandal, has in a Facebook post provided a letter from Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) corroborating his claim.
Ablakwa, please produce the contract you claim I signed without PPA approval. This is the only RTP contract I have signed, approved by Parliament pic.twitter.com/KS1cfFxafz
Per the letter dated December 15, 2021, titled “Proof of existing contract between Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications and Ascend Digital Solutions Limited”, there is an existing contract with Ascend Digital Solutions, a Nigerian company Mr Ablakwa claims has hijacked the Communications & Digitalization sector.
Acting Administrator of GIFEC, Prince Ofosu Sefah, who is a signature to the said letter confirmed that the Nigerian company is currently executing on behalf of GIFEC a contract for Engineering Design, Build, Rollout and Telephony Project involving Cell Sites in the 2016 communities.
“Ascend Digital Solutions Limited has been delivering these services to us since February 2020,” the letter revealed, adding that “the duration of the Build and Rollout Contract is until August 2023, while the Managed Services Contract is renewable, after an initial agreement for two years.”
Background
Mr Ablakwa in a Facebook post on July 6, 2023, accused Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful of awarding a US$48million contract awarded without Public Procurement Authority (PPA) approval.
He made this claim while citing a PPA’s response to his request made under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The request dated 8th June was titled “REQUEST FOR INFORMATION,” and read in part: “Respectfully, can you confirm if the Public Procurement Authority has granted procurement approval as required per theProcurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) as amended with (Act 914) to Ascend Digital Solutions under a US$48 million Rural Telephony Project contract purportedly for Engineering, Design, Build, Rollout and Managed Services which is being executed by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization since the year 2020.”
The PPA in its response dated 30th June, 2023 and signed by Deputy Chief Executive Kwame Prempeh per the letter shared by the North Tongu MP read: “We wish to inform you that our records do not reflect any information of the above-mentioned project.”
But Mrs Ursusla Owusu-Ekuful insisted the claims levelled against her by Mr Ablakwa are false and asked him to “please produce the contract you claim I signed without PPA approval.”
Ablakwa, please produce the contract you claim I signed without PPA approval. This is the only RTP contract I have signed, approved by Parliament pic.twitter.com/KS1cfFxafz
According to Mr Ursula Owusu-Ekuful in a Twitter post on July 7, 2023, the only RTP contract signed is a commercial contract agreement between the government of Ghana, Huawei Technologies and China National Technical Import and Export Corporation.
An amount of €155,000,000 was requested by the Communications Minister to be used to execute the implementation of the Ghana Rural Telephony and Digital Inclusion Project.
Source: The Independent Ghana | Andy Ogbarmey-Tettey
Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has challenged Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to provide details of the said US$48million contract awarded without Public Procurement Authority (PPA) approval.
Mr Ablakwa in a Facebook post on July 6, 2023, claimed that “the contract was dubiously awarded to the same Nigerian cabal which has hijacked the Communications & Digitalization sector.”
He made this claim while citing a PPA’s response to his request made under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The request dated 8th June was titled “REQUEST FOR INFORMATION,” and read in part: “Respectfully, can you confirm if the Public Procurement Authority has granted procurement approval as required per theProcurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) as amended with (Act 914) to Ascend Digital Solutions under a US$48 million Rural Telephony Project contract purportedly for Engineering, Design, Build, Rollout and Managed Services which is being executed by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization since the year 2020.”
The PPA in its response dated 30th June, 2023 and signed by Deputy Chief Executive Kwame Prempeh per the letter shared by the North Tongu MP read: “We wish to inform you that our records do not reflect any information of the above-mentioned project.”
But Mrs Ursusla Owusu-Ekuful insists the claims levelled against her by Mr Ablakwa are false and has asked him to “please produce the contract you claim I signed without PPA approval.”
Ablakwa, please produce the contract you claim I signed without PPA approval. This is the only RTP contract I have signed, approved by Parliament pic.twitter.com/KS1cfFxafz
According to Mr Ursula Owusu-Ekuful in a Twitter post on July 7, 2023, the only RTP contract signed is a commercial contract agreement between the government of Ghana, Huawei Technologies and China National Technical Import and Export Corporation.
An amount of €155,000,000 was requested by the Communications Minister to be used to execute the implementation of the Ghana Rural Telephony and Digital Inclusion Project.
Source: The Independent Ghana | Andy Ogbarmey-Tettey
Reverend Ntim Fordjour, Deputy Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for Assin South, has expressed his firm stance that Ghanaians will never accept or condone the activities of the LGBTQ+ community.
Ntim Fordjour who is one of the proponents of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill insisted that LGBTQ+ activities are only sexual perversion and not a human right.
“Mr. Speaker, many have been said but same-sex marriage is abhorred by all cultures, all religions and the issue of LGBT and all the rights some people ascribe to, I dare say that LGBT is not a human right, it’s a sexual perversion. A sexual perversion that must not be condoned. It is not correct and must not be accepted. It is most absurd for one to be allowed to choose to sleep with a tree, to sleep with an animal or anything at all in the interest and under the guise of human rights. That’s not a human right, that is sexual perversion.
“Sex is assigned at birth and that is the context of gender we are talking about. There is no one that does not have X chromosomes as a woman or XY chromosomes as a man. There is no middle ground,” Ntim Fordjour said.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament during the second reading and debate of the proposed bill, Ntim Fordjour quoted Genesis 1:17-18 as the standard for how marriage and sexual intercourse should be (that is man is to woman).
“If there are some hormonal imbalances and certain attitudinal perversions which have put some people into stating certain obscene preferences, we are ready to support them to reorient in line with Genesis 1:17-18,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ntim Fordjour has questioned the basis of some diplomats describing Ghana as backward over the anti-LGBTQ+ bill currently pending in parliament.
In a social media post, the MP accused such critics of being biased in their criticism.
“I’ve taken notice of some diplomats and LGBTQ activists who are describing our decision to protect the sanctity and dignity of our people and values through the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill as “backwards in civilization and prosperity”. Would these diplomats and activists dare say same thing to Russia, China, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Qatar? Are these countries backwards in civilization and prosperity? Definitely NOT!” he stated.
Ablekuma West MP, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful and Tamale Central MP, Murtala Mohammed on Wednesday engaged in a heated exchange of words when Parliament sat to resume discussions on the Promotion of Proper Sexual Human Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, popularly referred to as the anti-LGBTQ bill.
While Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor of the South Dayi constituency in his speech was entreating the House to swiftly approve the bill, there was a brief interruption as the microphones picked up a whisper.
“LGBTQ practitioner”, an MP voiced out.
The Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah, who was in the chair, called out Tamale Central MP, Murtala Mohammed to withdraw an unparliamentary comment passed.
The MP denied making such comment, asking the Speaker to clarify the specific statement passed.
Amidst the denial, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful accused Mr Murtala Mohammed of making such pronouncement against her.
She burst out and called out all other legislators who she believes heard the comment but turned deaf ears to it.
Mr Owusu-Ekuful then flared up at Mr Murtala describing him as a “mad man”.
“I sat here and repeatedly heard Hon Murtala refer to me as a practitioner of LGBT to the hearing of everyone in this house… and in response to that if I say he is mad, it is only a mad man who will refer to his colleague in this house as a practitioner of LGBTQ,” she said.
She also asked the Tamale Central MP whether he had “seen me having sexual intercourse with your wife or your daughter or your mother.”
At the request of the Second Deputy Speaker, both individuals retracted their comments, and the proceedings continued without further disruption.
Ultimately, all Members of Parliament (MPs) unanimously agreed to support the recommendation of the report, leading to the passage of the bill.
This significant outcome follows several months of intense public debate and thorough scrutiny by legislators and other stakeholders since its introduction in 2021.
Despite facing numerous legal challenges, including the most recent lawsuit announced on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, the controversial bill has successfully progressed through the required stages.
Individuals whose sim cards have been deactivated can submit an email or WhatsApp to the National Communication Authority(NCA) to get their sims reactivated, according to the NCA’s deputy director, Kwame Gyan.
He said this following comments by the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, who explained that individuals with genuine concerns about Ghana Card application can contact the NCA with evidence of application to have their SIMs reactivated.
According to the report, the Deputy Director noted that individuals in the category as described by the minister can send an email via mailto:complaints@nca.org.gh to his outfit for a resolution.
He further added that the mobile network operators (MNOs) have provided a WhatsApp number communicated duly for customers to channel their complaints.
He also added that the NCA has eight offices across the country which will also be open to receive such complaints.
Background:
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunication, Dr Ken Ashigbey, explained that SIM card subscribers who have registered their SIM to mobile money will have a temporal opportunity to access their funds even as the unregistered SIM cards are blocked.
His explanation is on the back of concerns raised by some who have not been able to register their SIM cards before the deadline, May 31, 2023.
According to him, even the National Communication Authority (NCA) has been magnanimous to keep the 404# and 400# to allow subscribers who get their Ghana card within the period during which the window remains open register and be able to recover the monies in their wallet.
“For the 7.4 million subscribers who have about over 200 million cedis on their wallet when they are barred, they also will get the opportunity if they get their numbers back then the historical records of their transaction,” he said.
However, those who are unable to still register after the temporal window closes will have to contact the mobile money operator for their money.
“But if they don’t and the NCA decides to close the window anytime then what they would have to do is that they would have to go to their mobile money operators and there will be a procedure that will be put where they can get their money back but they will not be via mobile money. They will not be able to do mobile money transactions until they are able to regularise it,” he added.
The member of parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, has lamented over some of the difficulties people are experiencing as a result of having their SIMS cards disabled.
The MP was reacting to the deactivation of SIM cards belonging to over 9 million Ghanaians who failed to commence or complete the re-registration exercise spanning almost two years.
Speaking in parliament on Thursday, June 8, 2023, the Tamale South MP opined that some individuals who have had their SIM cards deactivated are suffering from relationship crises because they are unable to communicate with their significant others and this may leave room for speculations.
“Those whose SIMs have so been blocked, some have suffered relationship problems. Some probably have lost their girlfriends, contact with their significant others. Even, some have been threatened with divorce; very possible. Because why have you not reached out to him or her; because your SIM has been blocked?
“With this excuse, she (Ursula Owusu-Ekuful) may be creating problems for many marriages with this SIM blocking as a social problem,” Haruna said.
Haruna Iddrisu also chided the Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful for blocking the SIMs of some individuals when they don’t have Ghana Cards yet.
“We are saying that don’t just block SIMs when the fault or problem is not from the person who is holding the SIM,” he added.
Originally commencing on October 1, 2021, the SIM card re-registration campaign was scheduled to conclude on March 31, 2022.
But due to challenges faced in obtaining the Ghana Card, the NCA extended the registration deadline multiple times until May 31, 2023.
The National Identification Card, commonly referred to as the Ghana Card, serves as the sole document for undertaking the registration process.
