Comply With Directives Or�.:Prez Mills

Telecom operators in the country have been given up to 30 days to comply with a directive by the President to print scratch cards locally. A statement issued and signed by the Minister of communications, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, said the policy was designed to provide job opportunities for Ghanaians and also enable local Ghanaian companies to access some of the jobs offered by the operators. It expressed its dissatisfaction with and disapproval of the conduct of telecom operators in not complying with the directive from the President to endeavour to print scratch cards locally and within the country. It said that and other practices that did not take advantage of local content went to undermine the operators of all telecom companies to promote technology transfer and also create employment opportunities in the country for Ghanaians. �Specifically, the non-printing of scratch cards in Ghana disregards the President�s request to all operators to undertake the local printing of scratch cards in Ghana,� the statement said, adding that �the practice, where operators do continue to import such cards that can be manufactured easily in Ghana, is unacceptable.� Consequently, it asked the operators to provide the National Communications Authority (NCA) with evidence of their compliance with the directive, while they also furnish the authority with information on local procurement initiatives to support Ghanaian businesses. �It is the expectation of the ministry that all mobile operators will demonstrate commitment to partner government in developing local entrepreneurship in the printing business as valuable partners in the development of the country,� the statement added.