Ghana’s communications ministry has disclosed that the cost of its 4G telecommunications system license will remain high for a considerable longer period.
The development comes amidst speculations in the telecommunications industry that the Ministry was considering reducing the cost of the license.
Speaking at a seminar for Network of Communications Reporters in Accra, a Technical Advisor at Ghana’s Ministry of Communications, Emmanuel Baah noted that government is pushing for higher engagement of the existing 3G system before deciding on when to resume the sale of the 4G system to other telecommunication operators in the country.
The leading telecom operator in the country - MTN is so far the only company to have secured the license to operate a 4G system in Ghana $67.5 million, in 2015
Mr. Baah stated that, the “3G has only forty percent per the number of people that have data service but the focus should be primarily on 3G roll out nationwide and then 4 G will follow.  The licensing regime is also where there is a policy whereby 4G license was not given to various companiesâ€.
He further reiterated the fact that “the market is addressing that issue because they did a stock declaring those companies and traditional network mobile operators. So some collaboration will take place and that will include the coverage of 4G. So it is good to have 4G but we must look to get 3G assessableâ€.
The 4G telecommunications system has over the last two years remained a myth – more or less a marketing scheme for the operators in Ghana’s telecom industry, as most service users in the country already know the basic infrastructure for its operation is yet to be put in place.