Bagbin urges Parliament to examine its own conduct amid calls for responsible speech
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has urged Parliament to examine its own conduct as part of efforts to promote responsible speech in Ghana.
Dr. Abednego Lamangin Bandim, the Chairman of Parliament's Committee on Information and Communications, has urged MTN Ghana and the National Communications Authority (NCA) to take immediate action to tackle recurring telecommunications network disruptions in northern Ghana. These outages, often lasting several hours, are severely disrupting essential services such as healthcare, education, and businesses.
In a press release on September 27, 2026, Dr. Bandim recounted his own experience of a major MTN network failure on September 26, while traveling from Salaga to Tamale. The network went down around 11 a.m. and was not restored until 6 p.m., leaving him without service for seven critical hours. While acknowledging that technical issues can occur, Dr. Bandim stressed that telecommunications providers must keep consumers informed about what's happening.
He emphasized that affected consumers are often left guessing about the causes and duration of outages, which can have serious consequences. Hospitals may struggle with communication among staff, patients may be unable to reach each other or health facilities, students and researchers could lose access to vital online resources, and financial transactions could be hampered.
Dr. Bandim called for timely updates about the reasons behind outages, the affected areas, expected restoration times, and the actions being taken to fix the issues. He stressed that consumers must be at the heart of any response to network disruptions, with operators directly communicating with those affected. Dr. Bandim urged MTN Ghana to improve its communication protocols and promptly inform customers when major outages occur.
He also called on the NCA to closely monitor the frequency and length of disruptions in northern Ghana, ensuring service providers fulfill their duties to consumers. When SMS communication is impossible, he suggested using alternative platforms like radio, television, and social media to keep communities informed. Dr. Bandim vowed to continue monitoring the situation and working with stakeholders to uncover the causes of the recurring outages and prevent them from happening again.
He stressed that reliable telecommunications services are crucial for all aspects of life, urging operators and regulators to address this matter with urgency.
Written by urgent.news from GBC Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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