Electronic Comm Tribunal grants stay of execution of 2 Mobile Network Operators

The Electronic Communications Tribunal, the body adjudicating the dispute between the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in the country and the National Communications Authority (NCA), has granted the request for a stay of execution filed by two telcos, which petitioned the tribunal over a fine imposed on them by the industry regulator.

They are AirtelTigo and Vodafone. The cases of the industry leader, MTN, and Glo Ghana, are however, pending but no date has been fixed for a hearing after today’s sitting at the three-member tribunal chaired by a retired Supreme Court Judge, Prof. Justice S. K. Date-Bah.

Four MNOs were collectively fined about Ghc34 million late last year for what the NCA described as breaches and infractions of the license conditions of the telcos.

However, not satisfied with the fine, the four brought a petition against the NCA before the special tribunal, challenging the action of the industry regulator.

Sources close to the industry and the tribunal told GraphicOnline that the decision to grant the request of the two MNOs was unanimous pending the fixing of a new date for hearing of the substantive case.

The affected telcos are yet to officially comment on the latest development but sources within the industry said, the two are satisfied with the tribunal’s decision. “It will help us to prepare properly to defend our case when the substantive case is called,” one source said.