By Bampia James Bundu
Newly appointed executive chairman of the Sierra Leone National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM), Momoh Konte, has announced a 2-week ultimatum for Africell, one of the country’s leading mobile companies, to change its tariff denomination from Units to Leones in compliance the commission’s regulations.
In an interview session yesterday with the parliamentary appointment committee in Parliament, Konte stated that laws were meant to be respected by all, adding that no one was above the laws. He said the government had long asked mobile phone companies to change their tariff denominations from Units to Leones which, he noted, Airtel already adhered to.
“Africell will not be an exception, they should change their tariff in two weeks time,” the NATCOM boss said.
Describing telecoms operators as partners in development, Konteh promised that he would work in close partnership with them in order to actualize his goals in the commission. He said the telecommunications sector had face a lot of challenges over the years as three mobile companies - Tigo, Comium and Datatel, had already folded up their operations in the country due to several reasons. That, he went on, was not only bad for the communications industry but for the country as a whole as that would send a wrong signal to investors who wanted to invest in the industry.
Asked about his plans of meeting the deadline slated for transformation from the analogue form of communication to digital, Konte responded that he would ensure that he worked in partnership with the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Cooperation and the Independent Media Commission to map out strategies for the transformation to ensure that they work towards the 2015 deadline.
He assured parliamentarians of his commitment in ensuring that telecommunication companies fulfilled their obligations by paying lease royalties to not only paramount chiefs or community leaders but to also ensure that 5% of those monies went to the constituency development funds. “This I will make sure comes into effect in two months from now,” he said.
Minority Leader in the House, Hon. Dr. Bernadett Lahai, appealed with Konte to use his good office and make that promise becomes a reality. She urged the new NATCOM boss to work towards actualizing the digital migration process and expressed hope that he would meet his targets.
Chairman of the parliamentary appointment committee, Hon. Ibrahim Bundu, explained that their role as members of the committee was to fulfill the constitutional mandate of the country, by interviewing appointees of the president and approving them to serve in public offices. He noted that they had no personal grudge against anybody as the questions they are asking was based on the curriculum vitae presented to them by the candidate and information that they had already gathered from the public.
Joe Abbas Bangura, Africell`s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, when reached by phone promised to get back to Politico for a reaction. But up to press time he never did.
© Politico 04/02/15
