The mobile telecommunications business is big. In 2010 alone the five mobile phone companies operating in Ghana made a combined profit of GH¢1 billion, approximately $600 million.
Last year, 2011, Ghana generated $64 million from taxes on in-bound international calls, the Director of Regulatory Administration at the National Communication Authority (NCA), Joshua Peprah was reported to have said during the first Telecoms Industry Knowledge Forum organized by the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications in Accra.
In 2010 however, the Minister of Communications, Haruna Iddrisu projected that Ghana would make an additional $50 million every year from in-bound international calls if the country establishes a telephone clearing house that monitors all in-bound international calls.
He added that even the telecoms companies will also make additional revenue if it is properly implemented, according to a GNA report.
Ghana earned the $64 million based on a government legislated fixed rate of 19 cents per minute on inbound international calls with six cents going into government coffers.
Currently, there are six mobile phone companies operating in Ghana, these are MTN, Tigo, Vodafone, Airtel, Expresso and Globacom and as at February 2012 there are over 23 million mobile subscriptions among Ghana’s about 25 million population.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi