NCA and Financial Sector Stakeholders Address Internet Disruptions

Joe Anokye – NCA Boss

In response to recent disruptions in internet service impacting various sectors, the National Communications Authority (NCA) convened a crucial meeting on Monday, March 18 with key stakeholders in Accra to address the challenges faced due to the cut in internet connectivity.

Attended by prominent institutions including the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Ghana Association of Banks (GAB), Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS), Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), Central Securities Depository, Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Subsea Cable Landing Service Providers, Ghana Internet Exchange (GIX), and Accra Internet Exchange (AIX), the meeting aimed to understand the specific obstacles affecting financial and public utility service providers amid the data connectivity disruptions impacting banking transactions and digital payments for utilities such as water and electricity.

Following constructive deliberations, the NCA announced that an agreement had been reached. It was decided that Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) would assess their operations to potentially prioritize and allocate more data resources to critical services like banking and utilities, in collaboration with Subsea Cable Landing Service Providers to enhance internet data capacity incrementally.

Furthermore, the stakeholders recommended that financial and utility service providers explore hosting essential services locally as a long-term strategy to ensure uninterrupted service delivery in the face of significant disruptions, while leveraging local internet exchanges such as GIX and AIX.

The meeting acknowledged the ongoing efforts by Subsea Cable Landing Service Providers and MNOs to receive increased capacity from their international partners as they work towards fully restoring data services.
The statement issued by the NCA also highlighted the anticipated enhancement in user experience as additional capacity becomes accessible.

This collaborative approach between the NCA and various stakeholders reflects a commitment to mitigating the challenges posed by internet disruptions and underscores the importance of collective efforts to bolster the resilience of critical services in the face of evolving technological landscapes.

By Vincent Kubi

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