Ebenezer Twum Asante Tells MTN Ghana's Success Story in 2017

In 2017, Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) Ghana launched the BRIGHT Initiative, expanded data, digital and VAS services, scaled up Mobile Money (MoMo) services and launched Fibre Broadband services.

Mr Ebenezer Twum Asante, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), MTN Ghana and Vice President, Southern & East Africa and Ghana (VP SEAGHA) region, made these known at the Media and Stakeholder Engagement in Accra, last week.

Mr Asante disclosed further that MTN Ghana in 2017 also expanded network into unreached areas, enriched customer experience and broadened partnerships, While, Mobile Money subscribers had increased from 2.0 million in 2012 to 11.6 million in 2017.

In addition, he said, tax payments to the Government of Ghana (GoG) amounted to GH? 1.218 billion, comprising GH? 1.059 billion to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and GH?159.4 million to the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC).

In 2017, he said, 149 Sites were deployed in underserved areas while from a modest beginning of three bleeding centres in Accra, Takoradi and Kumasi, MTN Ghana foundation's annual save a life blood donation campaign had been extended to all the ten regions of Ghana, in seven years, since it was launched, yielding 9,520 pints of blood.

During the year under review, Mr Asante said, MTN Ghana increased smartphone growth on the network, thereby, contributing to significant growth in data revenues.

According to Mr Asante, these achievements were registered through the BRIGHT Strategy with clearly defined Key Public Infrastructure (KPIs) to ensure delivery and constant innovation to transforms lives.

The BRIGHT Strategy, he said, involved Best customer experience, Returns and efficiency focus, Igniting commercial performance, Growth through data and digital, Hearts and minds and Technology excellence.

Currently MTN Ghana has a market share of 17.8million, representing 55.09% and employs broad partnerships-- Infinix, TecnoMobile, HUAWEI, SAMSUNG, X-TIGI Mobile, MOTOROLLA, ERRICSON, FORO MOBILE and NOKIA-- to improve opportunities.

Partnerships for social good -The Agoo Project is a multi-lingual mobile platform provided in collaboration with UNICEF Ghana to engage and educate Ghanaians on topical issues including water, sanitation, hygiene, education and child protection

On Efficiency in Connectivity and Communication using MTN Business Solutions, Mr Asante disclosed that MTN Ghana, in 2017, launched its Fibre Broadband to key business and residential places thus enabling about 20,000 homes to be covered with Fibre Broadband in the Greater Accra, Eastern and Ashanti Regions; provided extensive bouquet of SME-friendly connectivity services; delivered Wi-Fi to tertiary institutions and provided IOT/Machine2Machine platform to support the development of the IOT sector.

He said in 2017, MTN Ghana ushered businesses into the digital world through advance connectivity solutions (leased lines and dedicated internet) and Data Centre hosting, and brightened lives with sustainable social interventions.

Mr Asante said MTN Ghana brightened lives with 142 projects, comprising 80 projects under education, 52 projects under health and 10 projects under economic empowerment, over a ten-year period involving an amount of US $ 13 million, adding that four million lives were directly and indirectly impacted.

He said ICT, libraries, dormitories classrooms, scholarships, youth development & leadership training were provided under education; hospitals, wards, maternity blocks, surgeries and equipment, such as CHPs Compounds provided under health; and micro enterprise ( ICT incubation - GMIC),Shea butter and oil palm production under women empowerment and KNUST Telecoms Funding.

MTN Ghana Foundation, Mr Asante said, invested in capacity building, an amount of GHC 4,700,000.00 in training in 2017, with 95% of all employees both permanent & non-permanent receiving at least one training in the year, while 21 MTN Ghana employees were seconded to other MTN Operations at leadership levels and 11 employees engaged in projects across the Group while306 Students were interned in 2017 to be mapped for National service and the MTN Graduate Development Program towards preparing the next generation.

In the year 2017, Mr Asante said, technology excellence delivered better experiences as 201 4G sites, 476 3G sites and345 2G sites were integrated, 261km of fibre deployed and14,132 Fiber-To-The-Home passes deployed, improving network availability, accessibility and retain ability, as a result.

The MTN Ghana CEO disclosed that during the year under review, MTN Provided 500, 000 Jobs through an ecosystem of partnerships and suppliers.

Under its agenda of delivering a Bright Future, he said, MTN Ghana would invest US $ 144 million on capital expenditure by way of expanding and improving Projects in 2018.

The Focus for 2018, Mr Asante said, would include optimising a high-volume customer journey; extending focus beyond value & network drivers; rolling out smart Capital Expenditure (CAPEX); running a successful IPO; managing; delivering pipeline/sales in Enterprise; scaling MoMo & rich-media subscriptions; deepening partnerships; managing talents and succession planning and expanding network & data coverage, digital platforms and transformation.

He urged the media to help MTN overcome the challenge of Fiber Cut which was seriously affecting service delivery.

Source: ISD (G. D. Zaney)

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