Business News of Sunday, 27 September 2009

Source: GNA

Minister tasks MTN to improve upon services

Koforidua, Sept. 27, GNA - Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Eastern Regional Minister, on Friday urged Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) to improve upon its services to enable subscribers to enjoy value for money.

He said the general complaints from the public about poor services being provided by MTN, was not the best, especially in an era of stiff competition from other mobile phone networks. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo gave the advise, when a team from MTN paid a courtesy call on him in Koforidua as part of the company's regional stakeholder engagement to foster collaboration with government and other key partners.

He said MTN's huge subscriber base in Ghana should not make them complacent.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo also touched on recent misunderstanding over the erection of communication masts in some areas and said the public must be educated on the health and other related implications of such facilities.

He also called on telecommunications service providers to follow laid down procedures, including the safety of the citizenry before mounting masts.

The regional minister said recently, the Koforidua Municipal Chief Executive had to stop the citing of a mast due to the safety issues raised by residents.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo appealed to MTN to partner government to provide computers to the rural areas. Mrs Eleanor Adjaho Sarpong, Senior Government Relations Manager of MTN, who led the team said in addressing the challenges of the subscriber, the network was building more masts and switch centres to reach out to them.

She said as part of its corporate responsibility, the MTN Foundation was building Information, Communication and Technology centres at Manya Krobo District cluster of schools and reaching out to communities in Birim Central and West Akyem districts.

Mrs Sarpong said as a result of public outcry, over the placement of masts, the company was co-locating with other networks at same sites.