Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has criticized the government and the Communications and Digitalisation Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, for going ahead to award a contract to a company that had registered less than a week prior to the deal to operate a wholesale 5G services in Ghana.
Kpebu says there are a number of things wrong with this deal.
“A number of things wrong with a one-week-old baby that was given such a huge infrastructure. How? What is the industry experience that this week-old baby would have had? This deal was cooked,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 on Saturday, June 1.
“There are a number of companies that could have done this other than this one-week-old company,” he added.
Approval of a 5G service operations was given to NextGen Infraco on August 22, 2023, less than a week after the company registered within Ghana. NextGen InfraCo, per the documents available, registered on the 16th of August 2023.
The information released on the social media pages of investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni also showed that the company has been given ten years exclusivity.
Here are some of the details:
Letter from Communications Ministry to National Communications Authority dated March 11, 2024 states;
== “His Excellency the President granted Executive Approval on 22nd August 2023 for the introduction through the establishment of a neutral, wireless open access network to promote a vibrant telecom market in Ghana”
== “I (Ursula Owosu-Ekuful, MP, Minister) reiterate that there will be no auction for 5G Spectrum for the successful implantation of this project to rebalance the industry for the benefit of all consumers. Please proceed to conclude on licensing of the frequencies to Next Gen Infraco.”
Then letter from National Communications Authority to the CEO of Gen Infraco Limited dated the 13th of May, 2024 also gave the following details;
==”We refer to your provisional Authorisation letter numbered NCA/ NGICL/WTL/10 and dated 3rd May, 2024 as well as your letter dated 10th May, 2024, respectively on the above subject.”
The Above subject being “RE: PROVISIONAL AUTHORIZATION FOR WHOLESALE ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE (TELECOMMUNICATIONS) PROVIDER LICENSE.”
== “The NCA also confirms that NGICL, shall be given an exclusivity period of ten (10) years as a Provider of the Wholesale 5G Network from the date of execution of the license. NGICL will also have the right to spectrum neutrality for both 4G AND 5G.
