As part of efforts to promote a conducive economic environment for the operations of the telecommunication companies and the Telecommunication Mast Operators within the country and also scale up developmental activities of MMDAs, the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD) has met with representatives from the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications GCT), Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA), representatives of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and other key stakeholders .
The meeting was to review and negotiate the rate for MMDAs fees and charges on communication masts and other telecommunication infrastructure and services for the year 2024.
In a preceding meeting held last year in July between the stakeholders, a 12.5% rate was agreed upon for MMDAs to apply in the calculation of charges on communication masts and other telecommunication infrastructure and services.
The move was to address some inconsistencies that were detected in the application of rates of charges on some Telcos' infrastructure and Operating licenses as a result of noncompliance with the approved fee guidelines by some MMDAs.
The meeting which was held on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at the Ministry was mainly to agree on a favourable rate for all stakeholders.
Accordingly, at the end of the meeting, the stakeholders unanimously agreed to maintain the last year’s rate of 12.5% for the year 2024 and the sector Minister-designate, Hon. Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah was hopeful the agreement will be implemented effectively to ensure sanity in the system.
Sections 137, 141, and 150 of the Local Governance Act 2016, (Act 936) mandates the Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD) to issue guidelines on fees and rates to be charged by the MMDAs for services and facilities.
In attendance at the meeting were; the Hon. Minister designate for the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD), Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, Chief Director of the Ministry, Alhaji Amin Abdul Rahaman and Directors or the Ministry, representatives from the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunication, MTN, Vodafone, LUSPA, among others.
Source: Sandra Owusu-Asamoah
(MLGDRD, Public Relations Unit)