Concord Times (Freetown)
Ibrahim Tarawallie
3 November 2008
Ministry of Information and Communication has appealed to GSM companies and other stake holders to resolve their differences regarding the payment of royalties to local government authorities.
At the meeting, Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo said; "there is a need for a healthy relationship between local authorities and GSM operators in the country."
Resident minister east, Juana Smith said GSM companies only fulfill their financial obligations to NATCOM with little or no regard to the custodians of lands on whose territories they operate.
He said in their quest to undertake ambitious development programmes, local councils have embarked on a massive revenue collection drive, noting that mobile operators should pay their royalty fees to chiefs, landowners and local councils in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
Supporting the views of his colleague, resident minister north Alie D. Kamara said tax collection was essential for the effective and efficient functioning of local councils.
He reminded the mobile service providers that local authorities are their first protectors and they must do everything possible to be in good relationship with them. "We do not want anything extraordinary but just want to keep within the norms," he reaffirmed.
Resident minister south, Musa Tarawalie acknowledged the cordial relationship between the landowners and mobile phone operators in his region.
He admonished his colleagues to be cautious in dealing with the situation in consonance with the Local Government and Telecommunications Acts, which he re-echoed, are the instruments binding the GSM businesses operating in their localities.
Paramount chief Bai Koblo Queen of Masimiral suggested that the information and communication ministry should formulate a policy in which Paramount Chiefs would be involved in the negotiation process on the installation of cell phone towers.
He admitted that his own chiefdom receives an annual lease rent from mobile companies operating in his chiefdom which he said are distributed evenly among the chiefdom councils, landowners and paramount chiefs.
Deputy Minister of Local Government, Ibrahim Kaloko said payment of royalty fees does not cut across local authorities nationwide.
He called for harmonization of the royalty fees agreement with reference to both the local government and the Telecommunications Acts. He advised local authorities not to take the laws into their own hands.
Chairman of the GSM operations Association, Robert Khoury reaffirmed the commitment of all GSM Companies to meet all their financial obligations in accordance with the Telecommunications Act.
He appealed to the Ministry, government and the people of Sierra Leone to continue to create the enabling environment so that GSM companies can provide effective and affordable services for the people of Sierra Leone.
Chairman of NATCOM, Siray Timbo admonished GSM operators to strengthen their social responsibilities and interactions with the people and chiefs in whose localities they operate.
At the end of the meeting, it was agreed that chiefs and other local authorities would be encouraged to exercise patience until the issue was amicably resolved.
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