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In response to the recent announcement of tariff increases on mobile money transfer services, the Minister of Communications, Technology, and Innovation, Salima Bah Esq., has expressed the government’s commitment to bolster mobile banking and mobile money services in a bid to promote financial inclusion.
The goal is to make financial services more accessible, even in the face of rising call and data tariffs.
Minister Salima Bah underscored the government’s intention to collaborate closely with telecom providers to ensure that any tariff hikes are fair and reasonable, considering the economic conditions and the affordability of mobile services for the public.
The technologically adept and legally proficient Minister emphasized her plans to engage in constructive dialogues with telecom companies, aiming to strike a balance between the industry’s requirements and the needs of consumers. She stated, “My Ministry’s focus will be on mitigating the adverse effects of increased mobile phone tariffs, ensuring that essential communication and digital services remain within reach of the general population.”
Salima Bah’s mandate extends to fostering competition within the telecom sector to help regulate prices, enhance telecommunications infrastructure, particularly in rural and underserved areas, and ultimately reduce the cost of service provision while expanding access.
Meanwhile, mobile network operators have presented various justifications for their tariff increases, citing rising operational costs, infrastructure maintenance and upgrades, network expansion expenses, technology upgrades, and compliance with government regulations like the Finance Act.
However, the Minister emphasized that while telecom companies may provide valid reasons for tariff increases and the necessity for their sustainability, they should not shift the burden of government taxes, levies, and regulatory fees onto consumers.
In her closing statement, she declared, “We will collaborate with all stakeholders, including the regulatory authority, NaTCA, to scrutinize these tariff adjustments and ensure they are both reasonable and justifiable, striking a harmonious balance between the interests of operators and consumers.”
This mimister is stupid. Does the government want free money from the mobile companies? All government imposed fees will be pased on to the consumers. This is how business works. Idiot minister
Any tax the government imposes to mobile company it will affect the people of this nation by increments of tariffs. May Almighty Allah help us from this calamity and self representative people, we call them as our representative.
The government and then minister of information and communication have to settle the crisis of communication network in SL.know are day Data has limited.
why everything is just skyrocketing in sierra Leone. common error. we are really frustrated with this situation on ground.
Mama salone is moving towards the wrong direction
Were do we go wrong why always sierra leone why the government and the ministry are so heartless, to punish us like that it is on don how many times do they impose higher taxes and the increasment of the tariff pa a month they seem to be ridiculous
Only God can save us from these bondage
Mama salone is going back ward, every month tariffs increments to the people why this government is so heart less people.