Charges on Your Personal Transfers Due To Inconsistent Ghana Card Data - Banks.
Ghana's digital ecosystem week in review: The significance of digital soft skills in 2024, NCA's 5 year plan, StacAi appointed as technology partner for (GIFE), UNICEF Startup Accelerattor.........
Accra Digital Digest No. #101111
Date: 29th January to Feb 5th 2024.
Dear Friends,
Happy new week🎉 and welcome to the month of love. Here are the most important news, perspectives, analysis, and insights about the Ghanaian digital ecosystem from last week.
Digital governance
News updates
Investment and innovation key to benefiting from SMP policy – Selorm Adadevoh tells smaller telcos
In June 2022, MTN Ghana was declared SMP to essentially give the smaller telcos some urge over MTN, three years down the line and MTN is still growing in leaps and bounds while the smaller telcos are even getting worse. Selorm Adadevoh will leave office as MTN Ghana CEO in April this year, but before he goes, he has some advice for the smaller telcos in Ghana on how they can benefit from the MTN’s significant market power (SMP) status and its related regulatory measures.
Op-ed
Ghana’s New Emissions Levy Policy On Vehicles Makes No Sense
Ghana recently announced a new policy to impose a levy on carbon emissions from vehicles, mining, and oil and gas sectors. The levy, which will take effect from February 1, 2024, is intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and generate revenue for environmental projects.
Here is why the policy is unfair, ineffective, and counterproductive.
Op-ed
Is Ghana’s New National Communication Authority 5 Year Plan Ready For Primetime?
The National Communication Authority (NCA) of Ghana is the regulatory body that oversees the communications sector in the country has launched its new five-year strategic plan for 2024-2028 aimed to position the NCA as a world-class regulator. The NCA outlined its plans for Cybersecurity and robust regulatory frameworks, Consumer Protection, fostering a competitive and innovative communications market and more. However, the NCA doesn’t outline any clear Monitoring and Evaluation plans and even plans to update its regulatory framework and tools to keep pace with emerging technologies and services, such as 5G, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and internet of things. There’s more ………
Digital infrastructure and platforms
News updates
Vodafone Ghana Lost Its Edge But Will Its New Owners Improve The Brand?
Vodafone Ghana is one of the leading telecommunications companies in the country, with a market share of about 20%. However, in recent years, the company has faced several challenges that have eroded its reputation and customer satisfaction. They started recording a decline in their market share,
What went wrong?
ECG rolls out digital application service
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), in the second phase of its digital transformation agenda, has introduced the paperless service application system for all its services, namely requests for new connections, separate meters, and additional loads. The service, which takes effect from February 1, 2024, is part of its paperless services and would require customers to utilize the ECG Mobile App for their applications instead of filling out and submitting forms physically.
Technology industry launches Media Excellence Awards
The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, the advocacy body for the telecommunications Industry in Ghana, has launched a new awards scheme to be held on a yearly basis. The scheme would reward eligible journalists with recognized media houses as well as freelance journalists for their reports around issues affecting Tower companies, Mobile Network Operators, Fibre infrastructure companies, Original Equipment Manufacturers, Electronic Money issuers amongst others.
Digital finance
News updates
Telecel Ghana CEO Patricia Obo-Nai Speaking at the Africa Prosperity Dialogue 2024 has called on African governments, telecommunications companies, and financial service providers to remove obstacles that are impeding progress towards a cash-lite society and improved cross-border transactions, stressing the need to extend mobile money benefits globally
StacAi appointed as technology partner for Ghana Integrated Financial Ecosystem
StacAi, a Financial Trust Infrastructure, has been appointed as the technology partner for the development of the Ghana Integrated Financial Ecosystem (GIFE) in collaboration with the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Development Bank Ghana (DBG), and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).This strategic partnership aims to revolutionize the financial landscape and foster cross-border financial services cooperation between Singapore and Ghana.
Banking fees on personal transfers due to inconsistent Ghana card data – Association of Banks
John Awuah, the President of the Ghana Association of Bankers, has attributed the fees charged for personal transfers to inconsistencies in the data of Ghana card details between Mobile Money (MoMo) accounts and bank accounts, explaining that if the information registered on a MoMo account differs from that on a bank account, the system interprets it as different individuals and applies charges accordingly.
Digital entrepreneurship
News updates
MEST Africa and UNICEF Partner For 4th Edition Of UNICEF Startup Accelerator Lab
MEST Africa and UNICEF have partnered up to launch the 4th editor of the UNICEF StartUp Lab, a six-month accelerator empowering entrepreneurs dedicated to social impact and tech-driven solutions. The programme is led by UNICEF in Ghana and selected startups have a chance to receive up to GHS 32,000 of prototyping funding as well as an opportunity to apply for the $100K equity-free UNICEF Venture Fund.
16 health business start-ups awarded $150,000 seed fund from Africa Health Collaborative
Sixteen (16) health business start-ups have been awarded funds by the Mastercard Foundation Africa Higher Education Health Collaborative at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Digital talents
News updates
Op-ed
The significance of digital soft skills in 2024
Soft skills have long been recognized as critical elements of a well-rounded individual. These skills encompass interpersonal abilities, emotional intelligence and communication skills, all of which contribute to effective collaboration and personal development. However, the advent of technology and the digital revolution has redefined the landscape. This op-ed explores the essential digital skills needed to seamlessly blend with our increasingly digitalized world.
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