By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
The announcement of a tariff increase by the National Telecommunications Authority (NaTCA) following review of tariffs for voice and data services, in Sierra Leone this week has sparked criticisms of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) with some describing the act as “outrageous.”
A public notice issued by NaTCA regarding the increment on the 5th of November, 2023 noted that the review has been warranted by “rapid changes cost variables.”
In what it said was in the best interest of the consumers, NaTCA urged the MNOs to increase the floor price for voice calls from NLE 0.95 to NLE 1.63, the cap price for voice calls from NLE 1.10 to NLE 1.86 and the fixed data price from NLE 15 for 1GB to NLE 20 for 1Gb.
In response to the notice, a local Civil Society Organization (CSO), Native Consortium and Research Centre in a statement called on NaTCA and the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation to vacate the floor tariff, saying it is “disproportionate, inexcusable, and above all, killing for the ordinary man.”
The Consortium recalled an interview its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Edmond Abu Jnr. had on the BBC after his release from prison in January this year, “fuel cost is not an excuse for tariff increment because almost all the Towers used by the MNOs are on solar energy supply and that just small portion of the fuel is used.
“As if the increment is not enough, what is more killing is the pushing of the floor tariff compelling other MNOs like Qcell who want to offer cheaper tariff to forcefully increase their tariff,” part of the notice states.
The Consortium demands that NaTCA and the Ministry of Communication “vacate the floor conspiracy tariff and allow fair competition in a free market economy and exploitation of Consumers.”
A resident of Freetown Aruna Sankoh noted that the Government doesn’t have its people at heart. He said if the government cares about its citizens, it should have at least tried to subsidize basic things people should enjoy rather than imposing more taxes on them.
He said if people would determine and come together and not buy mobile top-up or data for at least a week, the MNOs would go back to the government and renegotiate.
Raymond Harding another citizen told Politico that the “self-acclaimed free calls” the government is emphasizing is not free at all. “So in a whole, it is not free calls, but rather an increase in tariff,” he said.
He added “government has not been fair to the people and urged them to realize that they are elected to represent them rather than working for their self-interests.
Prior to the increment, government officials expressed efforts to negotiate the proposed increase with the MNOs for a win-win situation between the people and the operators.
A report from the government’s strategic communication unit indicated that from the 120%, tariff increase that was proposed, the government, got the service providers “to agree to a modest increase in voice calls, and an even lower if not negligible increase, in data”.
“Cognisant of the huge economic burden on the people, the government's key negotiators, the Minister of Communication, Technology, and Innovation Ms. Salima Bah, and the Director General of NaTCA Mr. Amara Pedou Brewah successfully meandered their way out with the mobile companies to, first improve on the quality of services and restore bonuses and promotions, before finally settling for a minimal increase in the billing system which is set to come into effect on Monday, November 6th,” it noted.
It added that the outcome of the negotiation has seen two of the MNOs - Africell and Orange - introduce 5G technology to boost quality of service and resume bonuses. The free calls at midnight will be restored by Orange, and there are plans to introduce other promotions by the companies.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (08/11/23)
