All telecommunication companies operating in the country have been given a 48-hour ultimatum to plug into the Kelni GVG revenue assurance and monitoring platform or face sanctions in accordance with the law.

The directive was issued by Communication Minister, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful on Monday, 22 October 2018, following an official launch of the Common Platform which the government says is also aimed at protection from fraud and mobile money monitoring.

“I urge all mobile network operators to cooperate with the National Communications Authority and the Ghana Revenue Authority and KelniGVG and provide the information they need to monitor… Failure to do so within the next 48 hours will result in the imposition of sanctions prescribed by Act 864,” she said.

The launch of the platform was delayed by several months after some citizens and civil society organisations (CSOs) dragged the ministry and its assigns to court, arguing that the deployment would infringe on citizens’ rights to privacy among other concerns, but the court threw out the initial injunction application.

Addressing a short ceremony to inaugurate the platform, President Nana Akufo-Addo lauded the steps taken by the regulatory bodies like the NCA and GRA to guarantee revenue for the government.

The president, however, emphasised the need to ensure knowledge transfer in the execution of the Common Platform.