ARIWO !

Benin : Changes are on the way

The case of Internet & Telecom 

Benin Telecoms : total anarchy, drastic measures announced by government 

A study commissioned by the Benin's government came to the bitter conclusion that a great anarchy prevails in the country's telecom sector; this situation incited the government to a series of drastic measures, reveals Ouestafnews, from official source.

The speeding up of the audit of Benin Telecoms SA, the setting of a regulation authority, the immediate cancellation of all external connection out of the technical mediation of Benin telecoms SA"  are among the measures  announced.

According to the communiqué, the Benin government will also suspend all the decrees allowing provision of telecommunications services like Voice on IP, local radio loop, wifi, wimax, adsl, prepaid cards, with the exception of  Internet access providers and operators of cybercafé who run legally their activities "

The conditions of the recent " change of Telecel into Moov " (private operators) will be also examined, promises the Beninese government which announces several other measures among which notably the "immediate" dismantling of technical installations operated without authorization, the increase of the prices of licenses granted by " fanciful way ". 

Translation : Binason Avèkes.

Copyright Blaise APLOGAN, 2007

The study reveals that on a total 50 operators visited, 47 of them carry on their  activities in violation of law ; there by depraving the government of considerable amount of income and provoking a serious financial outflow to the prejudice of the country, says a communiqué of council of ministers released by Ouestafnews.
Among the major dysfunctions noticed  were  " anarchic access to the international on the operated networks by the affected companies without any authorization (...), non respect of dispositions in force (...), the use without any counterparty of Benin Telecoms SA equipments, and the existence of wrong governance practices  among the managing staff of Benin Telecoms SA, the national telecom company.

The Benin government sets up a long list of fraudulent practices in this strategic sector thus thrown into "an indescribable mess" and promises to take drastic measures in order to bring back law and order.

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